13 13: Orientation Final Four II

"Not you!" I groaned and slumped into my chair as Damon DeCharles and some other guy walked into the room.

"You!" Damon growled and turned his nose up to me, his eyes burning in rage. "What are you doing here peasant?!"

"None of your business! And better a peasant than the future lord of ass world!" I snapped jumping up from my seat. I've had it with these noble assholes calling me a peasant.

"My fahter is the lord of the Ashwald! Not ass world you inbred imbecile!" He snapped back. He clenched his fists like he was about to charge me.

"Enough!" Baset yelled, her evo-viper hissed at the same time.

The both of us stilled at her command but continued to give each other heated glares. Iris gave me a slap on my back and motioned for me to sit back down. I did but only because Baset was glaring at the two of us.

"I see you two have prior history." Baset said. Damon gave me a sneer then turned and bowed curtly at her.

"I've been unfortunate to make the acquaintance, yes." Damon said.

"Pompous ass." I muttered to myself.

"Well whatever the reason for your rivalry you'll be able to settle it soon in this coliseum." Baset said. Damon huffed and shook his head.

"Lady Baset I can assure you that one of my standing would never have a rivalry with a street urchin so obviously beneath me." Damon said. I saw red and started to snap again but Iris spoke up before I could.

"Considering the only reason you are even here Damon is that five other teams got disqualified and two people got expelled one would think you'd be a little less cocky especially when comparing yourself to someone who was talented enough to be in this competition from the the beginning."

Several people around the table started laughing at Iris' remark. Even Baset turned away from Damon to hide her smirk. Damon's face turned beet red and he stared daggers at Iris who just sat smugly in her seat with her arms folded.

"I am descended from lords, my family has been advisors to the French royal family for generations!" Damon exclaimed with the annoying air of superiority I was coming to expect from most students here.

"And what does your noble standing have to do with anything?" Jane asked calmly. Damon looked at Jane flabbergasted. "Iris talked about your merit and performance, in all our eyes at least you have none. You're just a alternate here in order to keep this contest going as planned."

Damon looked to Baset as if to ask if she was going to allow her to talk to him like that but Baset was watching Jane and nodding in agreement. The look of pure shock and anger on Damon's face at Jane's words and Baset's silent agreement brought a broad smile to my face.

"As I said: whatever rivalry you two have you'll be able to settle it in this coliseum. The next test is a test of combat. In a elimination style contest two teams will fight against each other at a time. The winner of first fight will battle the winners of the second with the winner of that fight cementing their spot in my class. The three remaining teams will then fight in a three way match to decide which team gets the second spot in my class. Any questions?"

"Are evos allowed?" the guy standing beside Damon asked.

"Yes. Evos are allowed as well as the killing of evos however killing a splicer will result in immediate expulsion and arrest. Spell sigils can be used as well but only non lethal sigils may be used." One of the other guides explained.

"What counts as a win?" I asked. This time Nigel spoke up.

"Knocking all opposing splicers unconscious or forcing them to surrender. It does not matter if a splicer doesn't have a evo to control, as long as they don't surrender or are knocked unconscious they are still considered fit to fight." Nigel said. He gave Jane, Iris, and I stern look and I quickly understood what he was saying.

I looked over to Iris and Jane and both of them nodded slightly, the looks they gave me told me they understood what Nigel was tell us as well.

"If there are no other questions…" Baset said then paused a second to let another speak up. "...then each group follow your guides to your ready room."

Each guide walked over to their group and followed them out of the room. Nigel motioned for us to stay seated when he reached us however. Astrid Folders' guide walked up to her then grabbed Damon and the guy he entered with and walked out of the room with the rest of the groups leaving our group alone with Baset.

"I'm impressed you managed to make it this far." Baset said eyeing me with keen eyes. "An American with no formal splicer training and no knowledge of even the most basic splicer concepts."

My eyes as well as Jane's and Iris' darted to Nigel. He offered us an apologetic look and took a step back. I couldn't get mad at him for telling Baset after all she was his employer.

"I was hoping to use my time here to learn all that stuff." I said. Baset's expression turned to one of distain.

"If you wanted to learn how to be a splicers you could have gone to another country and taken a internship under a lord or accepted military service not come to the most prestigious Institute of splicer knowledge and try to wing it into the most advance class!"

"Things have worked out for me so far." I said. The look she gave me could have melted steel. Her evo-viper hissed and flared it's wings.

"You will not make it into my class! You aren't worthy of the honor!" She snapped.

"Doesn't that depend on whether my team wins or not! Its not as if i'd be losing by myself. Jane and Iris are part of my team too!" I snapped back. Baset smiled deviously and looked to Jane and Iris.

"Yes they would but that doesn't mean they wouldn't benefit from it." Baset said. Jane and Iris looked confused. "If you two lose on purpose I'll have you work for me as teacher aids. You'll be able to sit in all my classes and have the same benefits as the others. And then at the beginning of next year, I'll add you to my class. How does that sound?"

"What?!" I yelled. I looked to Iris and Jane and both of them were looking at their laps, refusing to make eye contact with me.

'They're actually considering it!' I thought. I felt betrayed but why shouldn't they consider it, they've known me for less than a day. Their only reason for helping me to begin with was they needed me to win spots in Baset's class, now they wouldn't.

"I'll take your silence as an agreement." She said with a smile then waved us put of the room. "Hurry on to your ready room. Your group is up against Astrid Folder's group first. Have fun."

I turned and stormed out of the room. I could hear Nigel calling out to me but I ignored him. I'd stormed halfway down the hallway when a hand grabbed me by my wrist.

"Chase stop!" Nigel exclaimed. I stopped but didn't turn to face him.

"Which way to the ready room." I said, still not facing him.

"Chase…." Nigel started.

"Ready room." I said again in a colder tone.

"This way." Nigel said sounding a little defeated. He walked in front of me and lead the way. I heard Jane and Iris walking somewhere behind me. As we followed Nigel through the coliseum's hallways I heard Jane spind like she was about to say something but then suddenly stop.

Nigel stopped in front of a door and held it open for the rear of us. As I walked past him into the room I heard him whisper something under his breath.

"Sorry…"

The inside of the ready room was similar to a locker room. There was a row of lockers along the wall, a few benches in front of them. A small sink sat on the far wall with a tiny mirror above it and against the wall across from that sat a couch and a love seat.

Immediately I sat down on the closest bench. Jane and Iris both sat on the couch. Nigel left without saying another word and closed the door behind him. The room was filled with a deafening silence for what seemed like an eternity. Then finally Jane spoke up.

"Chase, I just want to say…"

"Don't bother explaining." I interrupted. "Honestly I don't blame you for taking her offer. I might not know a lot about being a splicer but I know that learning from her is a amazing opportunity for anyone. It's a long shot trying to win with me, you two probably already guessed that I don't have a evo and the only spell I can cast uses up way too much mana to be useful in battle. This is the best way for you guys."

"I'm sorry!" Jane exclaimed. "You have a lot of talent! Even if it's just in the normal courses I'm sure you'll make a great name for yourself!"

I looked over at Jane and Iris. The warm expression I'd come to associate with Jane was gone, replaced with a emotionless façade similar to a doll. While she kept her expression in check the rest her wasn't so controlled. She'd clenched her fists so tightly her nails were digging into her palms and making her hands bleed. Iris was nowhere near as composed; she stared at the floor with her fist clenched, her body practically vibrated with anger.

I knew they were both nobles from some country, the clothes they wore, the way they talked, and the air of dignity around them; especially Jane; told me as much. But unlike other nobles I've met so far who didn't seem to care how their actions affected others as long as they benefited they seemed to genuinely care. Their reactions showed that.

"I'm not going to just sit back and give up and let you two have your easy ride into Baset's class. Even if I'm alone, I'm going to fight."

Jane's eyes grew wide and Iris jerked her head up to look at me.

"Are you stupid?! Unless you give up when the match starts then the other team can beat on you as much as they want! They have evos and spell sigils! You're just by yourself!" Iris exclaimed.

"It's easier if you just surrender, you won't get hurt and you'll still have the normal courses." Jane added.

"Just because it's easier for you two if I surrender, doesn't mean it's what's best for me! How can I go into the normal courses with any sort of pride or confidence if I just give up. If I give up I might as just head back home."

There was a hard knock on the door followed by Nigel's voice.

"We're ready for you three." He said. I stood up and walked toward the door, stopping before I opened the door to turn and look at the girls.

"You do what's best for you and I'll do what's best for me."