Loathe - 3

Two of three, what had she meant by such words. Two of three that may have passed whatever test she had imposed upon us. Two of three that had discovered her power. 

It was most likely that the latter was true. That she was merely observing that we had seen through her strength and had acted accordingly.

I looked once more, letting my sight take in all of her being. But as I tried further and further, focusing more and more. Her image just became blurrier. Like some sort of faded painting.

Then when I blinked… when I let her out of my vision for that one moment. I found myself staring not at the face of Galarna, nor Atalanta. It was a blank space, where even the floor was nothing.

And when my vision turned black once more, gazing not at the world but at the void of souls. I still found nothing. Only a terrifying void. Where not even a soul lived.

"You are special." 

I turned, trying to find the voice of whoever had spoken. The whisperings within my ear. But it was a foregone conclusion. I would never be able to perceive them.

Their hand reached towards my shoulder, despite the nothing that I sensed. A nail grasping around my neck, imprinting into it with some sort of monstrous force.

And when I searched again I was no longer within that realm. No longer with Atalanta nor Galarna.

And Titania, who had wrapped herself so close to me. Neither had she come to where I stood. No, who I found was some crowd. A cacophony of truly deafening claps, ringing through their excitement as they watched me stand upon my feet.

And as they raged within emotions - apathy and greed among the most common - another hand found purchase upon my shoulder. It made me flinch back, finding the torn pride that I had thrown once again thrust over my shoulder.

"Congratulations." She spoke, "For escaping first." 

That hand, who had grasped my shoulder so tightly, so thoroughly. It stopped, placing me in front of some sort of podium. Handing me a card. Even if I had no real clue on what it was. I still kept it within the depths of my pockets. Letting it sink into there and left forgotten as more clapping echoed.

Another presence, this time two of which stood beside me, their emotions raising higher and higher. Praise being thrust upon them.

Yet as they distracted themselves with the praise I curled my shoulder against Titania, her own tail curling right back at me. Letting herself fade into my presence.

"I will explain for the confused students." More and more souls started to appear, each of them as confused as the next, grasping wounds that were not there.

I was not sure when, but it had happened, my vision had turned towards that other sight. Where I could see nothing but monotone grays, but see I still could.

And I found them grasping at fatal wounds. Was the realm a mere illusion?

No, it could not be. For Titania was proof that it wasn't, she was proof that those monsters who I had saved. Given salvation to. 

They were all real.

Then what… why grasp such fatal wounds. Was there another that could heal as well as I, another saint whom I knew nothing of.

I found myself with grit teeth, searching through the sea of souls, trying… oh so trying to find whoever had saved them from the brink of death.

But nothing came of it. I was forced to stew within this feeling of absolute self-loathing. My only unique trait, so cruelly thrust away from me.

"This was not a test that could be passed, nor was it a lesson as some of the teachers had thought." She gave a side eye to some of the confused teachers.

"We had not created a realm where death was inconsequential but one where those at the brink of death were frozen in a stasis spell and healed with… well that can be saved for later, what truly matters is that this was a test not a lesson."

She paused taking a breath after speaking so much.

"This was for the betterment and aptitude of our students, for the junior professors here may I add a word of advice, please don't ruin the surprise for the next, just as you have been fooled so may the others."

The more senior professors, who sat higher and in more prestigious positions turned and snickered. Snickered at even my fiance who had fallen for such a trick.

Yet judging by the flame in her gaze I found no naivety that would let such a thing come to reality. No, this was part of her plan, and if it was then I was under obligation to help her.

And so I would.

Whenever I found my part.

"And so, back to you students. You have been tested on three things. Your strength, your aptitude, and your abilities."

She paused and pointed to what was projected on the wall. A screen showing various numbers and calculations that ultimately ended in some sort of arbitrary number.

"Some of you did well," The screen turned to a picture of me, healing those and grimacing in pain, then turned to another, "And some not so well."

She smiled, a cruel smile.

"You may have thought of that test you took before the ultimate judge of whether you would learn here or not, and we have no right to kick one that had done well enough to come here. But will any of the professors let you into their lectures, that is the true question."

And with that she left, handing me one last card before turning on her feet with a small smirk on her face. Watching the horrified screeches that echoed through the faces of those with suboptimal performances.

Truly… she was one to loathe, to appreciate. To have come up with such a scheme? Was she the principal of this school?

Truly… it was a loathsome approach to education… but I could not argue against that trick of hers. A loathsome effective trick.