449 CHPT 449: Bring the Heat…

Cuffs were uncomfortable. Not only that, Claude hated feeling restricted. He hated it like he hated Samuel and the rest of the Remus born dogs. It was repulsive even as an idea in his head. To not be able to move as you were. To be held and bound as if your own movements weren't within your right to make.

And that wasn't even getting to the point of being open to attacks.

Attacks. They loomed over the horizon ever since he stepped foot into the University of the Phoenix.

After the events that transpired inside the Portal Room, Claude and the others were moved as more students filled in.

He was given the chance to change and place his beastial siblings in their home away from home. Frosty was alpha of the canines in the forest again as if he never left. The Vulkura, Wolfhounds, and rarer breeds welcomed Claude with open arms. They followed him when he introduced Diamondback to the sanded lands filled with Killer Boa's and Komodo Crushers. Loba stuck to the trees watching over Frosty, the birds didn't even notice.

Part of him wished he could sneak her inside, but he knew the Detectives would react in the only way they knew.

Speaking of what they knew. He found that his room had become someone else's. He could smell it the moment he entered. Intruders. Familiar intruders. They ruffled through his drawer, scanned over his blankets and even put caution tape over the dents and scratches made by Frosty during the first Full Moon. Back when he'd found Ursula in his room and almost blew his cover.

Look what good lying did. Did fate have other plans?

A cosmic question for another time. His life stuff hung in the balance between oncoming war and an endless firestorm.

He got changed in the comforts of his own room while Prof. Raizen waited outside. His battle gear came off like a second skin. Tough and painfully. Being that he'd worn it everyday to survive for the past two months, being without it felt criminally incorrect.

Even more so when he tried to slip back into his University Uniform.

It was the same as always. Something mixed between a combat gi and professional attire. The navy blue material stretched over his skin was meticulously woven and tough. Resistant to cuts and burns. The orange framing around the cuffs and outer edges was a thicker material that kept its shape.

Now being more in tune with many different forms of magic, he could feel that very thing emanating from the Phoenix insignia emblazoned on his left chest. Magic.

"Let's go, Claude. We have much to discuss." Prof. Raizen said from the other side of the door.

Claude closed up his uniform with an effort and slipped on his boots. He hadn't worn boots in the past few weeks. He wished he didn't have to start again. Boots were restrictive, disconnecting.

With a growl he shook off the discomfort and approached his large dresser on the other side of the wall from his bed. Upon opening it a mirror stuck to the back of the door welcomed him.

He was so tall the top half of his head was out of frame. He was wide enough at the shoulder to almost have the same happen. Clearly he'd grown. His Uniform looked ready to rip at any moment.

"Fuck." Claude thought before closing the dresser and heading for the door.

He hesitated for a moment and turned, heading for the window at the end of the room.

In a rush he placed his hand on the window sill. Green flame danced on his scarred bronze fingertips. Vines spiked with flower and thorn crawled up the thick bars and spilled into his room, framing the desk and bed like barbed wire.

"[I'm sure the Detectives will love the addition to their room.]" Arne commented.

"Funny." Claude replied flatly before heading out.

As soon as he stepped out Prof. Raizen looked him up and down before nodding to himself and putting his cuffs back on.

"It was a good idea getting you into something more….. revealing."

The two began walking.

"What the hell does that mean?"

Prof. Raizen side eyed him, "You were smart for coming here. However you convinced the Bounty Hunter I'm eager to hear it. But you're still fucked. You've been fucked ever since that Tangent."

"Yea no shit." Claude replied. Prof. Raizen looked older as he watched him. More grey hairs at his temple and along his jawline. What if he never had to age aga— nope. Bad thought.

"But you actually have a chance of survival here, and it won't be because you are…. Innocent." Prof. Raizen explained as they came to a stop halfway to the stairs. Prof. Brennan leaned up against a door marked with a sign that said, "Wake me up and I'll go Berserk. Unless you're Maris xx."

He could smell Ursula's old scents from her clothes as she tried to shrug them on. If his had grown too small, then hers would be impossible to wea—

Just as the thought entered his mind, she came through the door.

Her hair was in its usual ponytail. The rich auburn braid swung at her back reminding him of Centaurs if they could attain human beauty. Her freckles popped against the backdrop of her dark uniform. It looked painted over her skin.

"Man. Somebody give me a cloak." Ursula commented.

"Focus, nomad." Prof. Raizen said and flicked Claude's nose.

Thud!

"Ah— what the hell?"

"I'd laugh if our lives weren't in danger." Ursula commented as they began following the Professors.

They all stayed silent as they tip toed up the steps moving as if the physical embodiment of anxiety was on their tails. They passed the second and third years without hesitation before turning on the orange and blue tiled floor and heading for the Library. The windows along the walls showed them the Students all outside, socializing, training and lazing around. A day off of sorts. He thought he would struggle to remember faces, but he felt familiarity upon gazing at every one.

It was only then that Claude spoke, "So what did you mean by me not surviving due to my innocence?"

It almost felt like Prof. Raizen assumed he was guilty of something and was still trying to help.

Prof. Raizen and Prof. Brennan looked at each other.

"It's always around this time of year when Political schemes and competitive intensity are at an all time high. Globally. You just happened to return at the best time. When it's on the rise, and you could become an asset. For that reason you may be pardoned…. Of certain things. But you better prove some of the people in this room of something. I can only help you if you've got some evidence and even then, your life won't get easier from this point. But something tells me you know that." Prof. Raizen explained.

Claude looked over at Ursula, she squeezed his hand in support.

"You know I know that. Sir."

He couldn't help but question what Prof. Raizen was entirely talking about still..

They pushed through the doors and entered the Library silently. Silent like the branch of Assassin classed Professors.

It was empty. Not really, but it felt that way due to the silence. Just like before the back was removed of tables and chairs leaving a massive space within the library lined by book and Detective. They watched them all enter with stony eyes.

He suddenly had a memory of sitting at a single table being interrogated by Ronin. Being given a cursed blade that almost forced him to transform right in front of the strongest hero alive.

Only Ronin wasn't here now. He was Districts away. And Claude had more control— more power than ever. But he wasn't invincible. Far from it. He needed to move with that in mind.

The Librarian looked the same as ever. She stared at him as they passed. She was an older woman. Dainty yet experienced in life. Her delicate fingers handled the books behind her desk expertly. She was beautiful. Absent of wrinkles despite her age with hair as white as snow.

He suddenly remembered Ursula slapping him for drooling over her— supposedly, the first time they came to the Library. The memory forced him to look away and face reality.

It grew closer with every step.

They made it to the back of the Library. A Unit of Detectives leaned up against the bookshelves to the left of the room. Det. Mixus was among the group, watching him intently. On the right side, Claude was surprised to find Maris, Isaac and Warren waiting beside the most unlikely pairing in existence.

The University HeadMaster, H.M Alaric. And the resident Monster nerd, Prof. Alvis. They looked like polar opposites in ever way.

H.M Alaric wasn't the tallest man. No larger than six feet, but he was as wide as an oak tree with long brown hair worn like a lions mane. Scars covered his fingers and thick previously broken nose. He still emanated that power and violence that was tangible in the air. Prof. Alvis stood beside him quivering and sweating bullets through his oversized University Uniform.

They all came to a stop in front of everyone. The Professors bowed to H.M Alaric. He returned the favor before addressing Ursula.

"Your father has missed you, Ms. Legrand." His voice was as gravely as they come.

"Respectfully, that's bullshit." Ursula replied.

"Yea we're dead…" Warren pulled on his nappy hair in a panic.

"Maybe." H.M Alaric said, "But he has been different since you left. I'm sure you all felt it in the air once you made it back to SkyHaven."

Ursula had nothing to say to that.

The HeadMaster looked over at Claude. "This is him?"

Prof. Alvis somehow stuttered without making a sound and pushed his glasses further up his beak-like nose, "Y-yes….H-HeadMaster. C-Claude is one of…..t-t-the best s-students I've had. ERHM…..h-he's very well v-versed on both Animals and M-onsters…."

HeadMaster Alaric looked Claude over, "I remember you. The Detectives stick to you like glue, boy."

Claude nodded.

"That isn't a good thing."

He nodded again.

"Even so, you're still here. And between Prof. Brennan, Raizen and Alvis, they talk a big game about you. You and your friends here that nose dived into trouble like a couple broke Night Runners."

Isaac nodded at Claude. Warren looked like he was praying and crying at the same time. Maris was throwing pencils at him. Cassidy was watching them all and trying not to laugh.

"You look strong." HeadMaster Alaric said randomly.

"Trying, sir." Claude replied.

"Nobody weak survives out there as long as you two did. I don't need an investigation to know that's what happened. Power is an attractive force upon itself."

Claude looked at the HeadMaster in confusion.

"Power senses power. I sense it on you both. You sharpened yourself and cut out a path that led you back here. Prof. Raizen says you told him you didn't come back here after all that just to die. He says you and your little group here have a fire lit inside you. Id have to agree, or else you wouldn't have survived what came to you all on that night."

Claude shuddered. He was the first one to mention the HellBreeder. That meant they knew. That was good. It seemed that way at least….

"We're going to work to keep the law…" H.M Alaric said law with finger quotes, "Off you. Because we know what happened to you could've been thwarted ever since you all killed that snake. We ignored you, and we apologize. It won't happen again. But you have to work with us here and beyond. All of you."

Claude's mind caught onto the last portion of his words. Something was being laid out. Something more than an investigation. He had the same feeling when Prof. Raizen was speaking to him.

"What do you mean?"

H.M Alaric looked around before motioning towards the table, "Come have a seat."

Claude was going to when Prof. Brennan and Prof. Raizen began pushing him and Ursula towards the table.

He was so confused he almost missed the feeling of numbing magics wash over him like an unseen fuzz. They became stronger when he sat at the table with Ursula.

"[Nullification Runes. Somebody made your side of the Library into a sort of secondary room without the Detectives knowing. Crafty. Not a good sign.]"

Claude immediately looked to H.M Alaric.

"The Librarian is a HexBlade. And we need silence from the Detection Corps."

Claude was stunned momentarily before he recovered.

"Why?" Claude asked, "I know they're crooked….. but I don't see why we need to hide anything I haven't even explained what happened yet."

Ursula and the others looked just as confused. Except Isaac. He looked as tight lipped and grim as before. Cassidy held a similar tone.

"This bit doesn't directly concern you and yours in that way." H.M Alaric explained. "As a University we're preparing for an Event. The most important event to us and any University/Combative Intelligentsia around the world."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Claude explained.

Arne was cussing up a storm in his mind.

"I'm sure your Knight does. Or else he wouldn't look so angry."

Isaac looked up from his hands. "The Slayers World Tournament."

That sounded ominous, "What about it ?" Claude asked.

Isaac's jaw clenched, "You two killed a HellBreeder and survived in the wild for two months alone— assumedly. You have strength far beyond your age. And Claude has an extended understanding of the very thing threatening our world. God damn….. HeadMaster. You're gonna bump us, huh?"

"Bump us?" Warren questioned.

"Bump us up." Isaac explained, "We're going to represent the University of the Phoenix in the main event at The Slayers World Tournament even though it's only for second and third years."

Claude felt his stomach drop for a second. That was why Prof. Raizen sounded willing to help him even if he was criminal. That was why H.M Alaric was explaining that he could feel Claude and Ursula's strength. That was why he said he wanted to use their fire. He wanted a chance at putting New Gloria on the map even though on average such a place birthed the weakest awakened individuals.

Claude's group was their outliers and chance at winning. And they were willing to do anything to get it. Why?

"Do you understand now?" H.M Alaric explained while he looked at Claude and Ursula.

Before they could answer, the door to the library burst open and all the sweat on Prof. Alvis skin evaporated to steam from the heat wave.

"URSULA!"