13 | Past

"A hunting contest?" Arrow nodded her head when Elyse asked.

"Yes! A hunting contest!" Arrow said while jumping with her excited face.

"Oh, I haven't explained it." Eli interrupted.

"A hunting contest is held every year to commemorate Artemis — she's known to be an Alpha of Hunting and Virginity. And is one of the moons according to the legend. It's also rumored that Lucia and Artemis are good friends and who knows the reason why the old Master of Empire wants to hold each year a hunting contest." Eli explained.

Just like what Eli said, the Hunting Contest was held to remember the Alpha who is named Artemis — an Alpha of Hunting and Virginity and is also Arrow and Arbor's Ancestor. In the legend, it was said that both Lucia and Artemis like to hunt. Lucia also learned how to handle a bow since it was her first-ever weapon to hold ever since Lucia entered The Alphas.

Artemis's mother and Lucia's Mother are both members of the moon, which is why they became great friends easily.

This tradition is very old. But when the old Master of Empire established the world and the Empire itself, she decided to hold a festival and a hunting contest each year to remember the Alphas.

The Master of the Empire overlooked each festival and hunting contest that will be held each day which spread the rumors of the Master cherishing the Festivals and Hunting Contests.

"Is that so?" Elyse said with a blank expression. She's not interested in such a thing. For Elyse, she felt bad for the animals being harmed in the hunting contest.

"Hey! Don't say that! You're a member of the Archery Club and you must do your best since you're carrying our Ancestor's name!" Arrow said while putting her arms into Elyse's and pointing herself with her chin up, being proud and all.

Eli chuckled, "That's right, Elyse."

"Ah right. Since you're a member of the Archery Club, you too should win in this competition." Arbor appeared out of nowhere again which made Elyse startled when he appears from her behind.

"Stop surprising me like that, Arbor! And why should I win the competition? As you all believe, I am Aniya's Descendant. I don't know how to hold a bow! I only know how to cast a spell." Elyse exclaimed.

"Well, it's pretty boring now that it's always me and Arrow gets the same prize each year." He bragged.

"That's right! We always win which makes it feel boring now." Arrow bragged too.

"Now that we have Elyse and the other members of the Student Council, the hunting competition that will be held this year would be exciting!" Arrow exclaimed.

"Well, you should look out for our President too." Eli approached her and gave her another piece of sandwich from Elyse's lunch box.

Elyse accepted it and starts eating again.

"Why?" Elyse said while chewing her food.

"Since our President is also very skilled in everything. He can draw and paint, plus compose a song too. He can also solve a question in just a second without even thinking. He's also very skilled in swordsmanship and archery. Magic too, that's his special talent. He's a rivalry for you — to Aniya's Descendant." She spoke.

Elyse sigh. She still hasn't accepted the thought of being Aniya's Descendant yet since she knows her evil deeds. But everyone is telling her that she's Aniya's Descendant. Their statements can also support it with evidence. And the evidence is in her neck. The same necklace that was given to her and how it resembles so much from Aniya's painting herself.

"I don't plan to. And stop telling me I am her Descendant." Elyse said and starts packing her things and walked away.

"Hey —" She heard Arrow call her but she ignores it.

She continues to walk with her head down. The rain from the outside starts to fall as Elyse starts to walk faster and faster still her head down. She wanted to walk away. She suddenly felt suffocated from all their statements of being Elyse her descendant.

Elyse once hates Aniya. She was the one who plotted everything of course and hurt her idol — Lucia. She was portrayed as the villainess while Lucia was portrayed as the pitiful Alpha.

Elyse starts to have doubts in herself, that what if she would also end up like Aniya? If one day, she got closer to everyone and then suddenly felt jealousy towards them that it made her want to break them. She doesn't want that. She doesn't want to be like Aniya.

She suddenly felt a cold drop in her skin until her uniform became wet. She notices that she's already outside of the Academy. She stops her tracks and just stood up in the middle of the rain, feeling the cold and heavy feeling deep inside her chest.

She missed home; she misses everyone. She misses the old days.

Her tears start to fall on her cheeks. She silently cried between the sound of rain drops on the floor and into the Academy's roof.

She just wanted to go home. She doesn't want to do this anymore. Everyone stares and everyone's accusing her of something she has never done in her entire life. She never believed that she is Aniya's Descendant but everyone wants to believe it that she was the one.

Everyone starts to blame her for some things she never did. Everyone suddenly hates her.

'Why must I suffer from all of this?'

"You..." The water-dropping in her body stops. She looked up to see a beautiful woman with a pair of beautiful brown eyes and her long straight hazel hair flowing smoothly in her body.

"Ah!" She quickly wipes off her tears and turns her head down, ashamed.

"What are you doing here, Kid?" The woman said but Elyse didn't answer. She bows down her head and quickly tries to run away from her but she immediately grabs her arms.

"You dare not answer me?" The woman said with her frightful voice which made Elyse tremble in fear.

"I-I'm sorry." The woman's eyes widen when she noticed the necklace Elyse was wearing.

"Aniya?" The woman spoke out loud and Elyse turned to look at her. Pissed.

"I am not her Descendant. This stupid necklace cannot determine that I am indeed her Descendant." Elyse exclaimed.

"Kid, even without your necklace, I can still recognize you as her Descendant." Elyse's eyes widen in shock.

"All of the Alphas who have inherited their Ancestor's memories and powers have been born. Only Aniya hasn't." The woman continues.

"Or should I say, Arina Raquel." The woman mumbles but it was enough for Elyse to hear it.

"Pardon?"

"MASTER!" The Headmistress suddenly shouted as she quickly approaches them from afar while the butler holding an umbrella.

'Master?' Elyse froze when she heard that title.

She quickly stares at the woman in front of her again. With her emotionless and confident brown eyes that would always give you a death stare, her beautiful long straight hazel hair smoothly flowing in her perfectly hour-glass curved body.

She was indeed perfect to be called "The New Master".

"Master, welcome to The Academy." The Headmistress greets her with curtesy while Elyse was frozen still in her spot.

The new Master then looks at her with a smirk on her face, "Well, surprised kiddo?"