Part twenty-two

-Celeste's POV

Hugging Des tightly, I reassure her with a calm, composed voice, "Alright, you stay here, and I'll go see what's going on in the Academy." Glancing down at her, I can't help but notice her acting skills need work. Who could have put her up to this charade? Without waiting for her to respond, I turn and head back to my room, my mind already racing with plans and possibilities.

Inside, I ask aloud, maintaining my serene demeanor, "What is the situation?" My shadow shifts, responding with information that heightens my concern. "The girl is not a tool targeting you. We have confirmed an attack on the academy by a cult. The situation is worsening by the second."

I run my hand along the hilt of my sword, feeling its familiar weight. "Keep an eye on Des. I will head to the Academy," I command, my resolve firm. The shadow disappears in a mere instant.

Grabbing a student uniform, I consider the unfolding scenario. "Hmmm, so they're after the key..."

Slipping into the student uniform, a wave of nostalgia washes over me, tinged with unease. Wearing this brings back memories... not very pleasant ones. In the next moment, I vanish, a trick perfected over years of ruling.

As I reappear in the Capital City, my gaze is immediately drawn to the Academy, now enshrouded in a massive, spiraling storm. Tsk, what is that? The sight of it stirs a mix of concern and annoyance within me. My empire has an agreement not to intervene with Academy affairs, but this chaos is threatening to spill over into my capital.

With a sigh, I lament to myself, "I was hoping to have a peaceful day." Pointing a finger towards the distant Academy, I channel my power. A strand of pure gold lightning bursts forth, racing across the sky. Its speed is blinding, covering the twenty miles in an instant.

The moment the lightning reaches the Academy, I utilize my connection to it, transporting myself instantly to the front gates. The sight that greets me is one of disorder and panic. This place has seen better days, I remember when half of it got wiped out by a demonic beast. 

Scratching my chin, I survey the chaos around the Academy. My initial priority is clear – I need to verify if Ash is indeed here. But as I take a step forward, an unexpected voice halts me.

"Why would someone like you be here?" An old man emerges at the entrance, his presence undetected until now. He's adorned in gold and black priest robes, leaning on a cane. How did I not sense him approaching?

I turn, my gaze falling upon the old man. His robes are unmistakable – those of the cult I thought I had eradicated. "I thought I wiped your little group off," I remark, a tinge of surprise in my voice.

The old man's face cracks into a smile, tinged with both malice and triumph. "Queen Celeste... you nearly killed us all. At that time, I was just a follower." He takes deliberate steps forward, pulling down his robe to reveal a massive, healed sword wound. "I was this close to dying after you cut me like nothing." His eyes gleam with a mixture of resentment and fanaticism. "Thankfully, our great lord saved me and blessed me. For the last 10 years, I've been mastering, training, plotting for the day we release him!" His smile widens unnaturally.

As he twirls his cane, he boldly declares, "I didn't think I would get a chance to meet you today."

I study the man, my expression one of disdain. "Your brain is rotten, you're a delusional old man," I retort. "The great empire, along with the Academy, has kept that monster locked up for hundreds of years. It will not be released while I am the queen." I sigh, my hand resting on the hilt of my sheathed sword.

The old man's smile doesn't falter. "Well, shall we see what will happen?" he challenges, his eyes alight with fervor.

The old man, despite the gravity of the situation, performs a bow with an air of twisted courtesy. "Ah! I forgot to introduce myself to the Queen. I am Gialo Di Vasue. I am not originally from this place." He lifts his cane, a sinister glint in his eye. "I won't kill you. I will make you a faithful believer for our lord."

I sigh, my patience wearing thin. "What makes you think you can overpower me?" I question, my hand gripping my sword. "I should at least thank you for attacking with few students around." In a flash, I disappear, reappearing beside him to deliver a swift, clean slice, aiming to decapitate him.

As I glare at the severed head, it begins to move and wiggle, transforming into a mass of purple maggots. My eyes narrow as I watch the maggots crawl up, reconstituting his form. "Old man, did you give up your humanity?" I ask, a mixture of disgust and curiosity in my tone.

Gialo, now reformed, turns to me with a perverse smile. "I have evolved into a being surpassing humans."

Realizing physical attacks are futile, I extend my fingers, sending bolts of electricity towards him, intending to fry him entirely. Yet, to my dismay, the maggots begin to move again, glowing with a sinister light. "Thank you for the meal," he smirks, seemingly revitalized by my attack.

Disgusted by this grotesque display, I sheathe my sword, my expression one of revulsion. "How disgusting," I mutter under my breath.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

-Raelle's POV

As soon as Professor Ayla leaves, I find myself collapsing onto the ground, my body finally giving in to the overwhelming exhaustion. "I don't want to do this..." I groan, my voice barely audible, echoing my profound reluctance.

Elith, equally spent, collapses on top of me, his face pressed against the cold floor. "Ughhh... I think Riya can do it by herself. Just make sure not to hurt them too much, we want to be able to heal all their injuries back," he mumbles, his words muffled and strained.

Riya, standing a few feet away, turns to look at us with a mix of frustration and disbelief. "You're both..." she starts to scold, but then seems to give up, shaking her head in exasperation. She turns away, clearly deciding to handle the situation herself.

Moments later, the front door opens, and a group of students from various grades enter. They halt abruptly as their eyes land on the pitiful sight of Elith and me sprawled on the floor. Among them, I recognize some familiar faces, but my mind is too foggy to recall their names or why they matter.

"Ughhh... you got this, Riya," I mumble, my voice weak. The idea of getting up and facing a confrontation seems like an impossible task. My eyelids flutter as I struggle to stay conscious, the world around me blurring into a haze of exhaustion and resignation.

Elith, still lying on me, barely moves. His breaths are heavy, his body feeling like dead weight. "Just... make it quick," he whispers, his voice barely audible.

Riya, visibly stressed, glances back at us. "H-hey, you two, I am strong, but there are a lot of them..." Her voice trails off, her concern evident.

From the ground, I manage to lift my head, groaning. "Yeah, way over ten..." My voice is a whisper, a testament to my utter exhaustion.

The students, now brandishing their weapons, seem uncertain. One of them, a leader perhaps, voices his thoughts aloud. "I think our lord would want them since they are strong. Should we attack them or head to our meeting point?"

Riya, gripping her sword tightly, looks bewildered. "How are we going to lead all of them?" she mutters, her eyes scanning the growing crowd of hostile students.

Elith, barely able to muster any strength, groans and suggests, "Carry us..." His voice is weak, his suggestion sounding almost ridiculous under the circumstances.

Riya, though frustrated, heeds his suggestion. Gritting her teeth, she hoists both of us up, one in each arm, preparing to make a run for it.

In a desperate attempt to provoke the cultists, Elith grabs a crystal, speaking into the microphone with all the energy he can muster. "Oi you fuckers, your lord is a bitch ass pathetic useless whore." He drops the crystal, his voice a mix of provocation and exhaustion. "Ah, you better run because they don't look so happy."

Riya, now burdened with our weight, starts sprinting, a hoard of angry, cultic students hot on our heels. "You bastards! Why am I carrying you!?" she shouts, her voice filled with anger and disbelief at the absurdity of the situation.

Groaning under the weight of my own exhaustion, I manage to mutter to Riya, "Don't run too fast. The seniors will be able to keep up, but we need to make sure the freshman and sophomores can too."

Riya, sensing the need to regroup, abruptly stops and slashes at the floor with her sword, creating a barrier that halts everyone's advance. She turns to me, her frustration evident. "Can you use your goddamn skill!?" she demands, her eyes blazing.

I groan in response, the mere thought of exerting any more energy feels unbearable. "It will affect you too, you know..." I warn, my voice a mix of weariness and reluctance.

But Riya is adamant. "I'll be fine," she insists, her determination unwavering.

Rolling my eyes, I gather what little energy I have left. Tsk, I have to use that skill, huh... With a sense of resignation, I activate the skill. A red wave of energy flows through the area, taunting everyone. Suddenly, all eyes are on me, their focus shifting with the skill's influence.

Riya, now under the skill's effect, grits her teeth in frustration. "Dammit, I want to punch you so badly," she mutters, clearly struggling to maintain control.

I groan again, feeling the weight of the situation. Fuck... Clenching my teeth, I force myself off the ground, tears streaming down my face as I start to run. The desire to sleep, to escape this never-ending exhaustion, is overwhelming, but I push forward, driven by necessity.

Running through the Academy's corridors, my legs feel like they're made of lead. Every step is a struggle against the crushing weight of exhaustion. Elith, equally drained, manages to keep up, but his pace is faltering.

"Riya won't carry me," Elith groans beside me, his voice a mixture of resignation and irritation. "We have to keep going."

The relentless horde of cultic students continues to pursue us, their anger fueled by my skill. Riya, leading the way, occasionally turns back to push some of them away with her sword, but her efforts only slow them down temporarily.

My thoughts are a blur, focused solely on the need to keep moving. The Academy's familiar hallways seem endless, twisting and turning into an unending labyrinth. My breathing is ragged, each inhale a battle against the weight of my own body. I can feel the tears streaming down my face, a mix of frustration, exhaustion, and a desperate longing for rest.

"We're almost there... just a little more..." Elith encourages, though his own voice is barely a whisper.

Finally, we reach the auditorium. The massive doors loom ahead, a beacon of hope in this seemingly endless nightmare. But as soon as we cross the threshold, both Elith and I collapse onto the ground, our bodies no longer able to withstand the strain.

Lying there, sprawled on the cold floor, I can barely register the chaos around us. The angry shouts and the clanging of weapons fade into a distant hum. My mind is consumed by a single, overwhelming desire - sleep.

Elith, lying next to me, is in no better state. "We did it... we led them here..." he mumbles, his voice trailing off into silence.

Riya, still standing, looks down at us with a mix of exasperation and concern. "You two are unbelievable..."