Unexpected Turn

"You will learn respect, Reo Elwin." The princess voice echoed through the hall; her influx of power shook the very foundation of the academy.

"Your majesty!" Principal Helen who conducted the final stage put it on hold the instant she recognized the power of the princess and ran into the hall.

Neo unfazed stared down at the princess; her concept of peace through bloodshed was something he could not condone.

"Your highness! Please stop! You'll destroy the school!" Helen out of fear for the princess raw power exclaimed.

Bridget however had already made up her mind. If she was going to recruit him, she needed to keep him reigned in. That is, he would obey and respect her every command without hesitation.

The princess plunged forward at Neo, the ground beneath her brutally destroyed by the blinding light which escaped her feet.

Even at Neo's current level, there was no way he could read the movements of Bridget who utilized light speed as part of her abilities. It was undoubtedly over.

"What!?" Neo exclaimed in his thoughts as everything occurred so quickly. Before he could even blink, he found Vanessa right in front of him with her hands spread sideways.

The princess stopped in her tracks, her fist mere inches away from Vanessa's face.

"What are you doing?" Bridget questioned her interruption.

"Don't tell me you also dare to defy my authority?" An already angered Bridget spoke a bit loudly.

"No your highness, I wouldn't dream of it." Vanessa replied.

"Forgive Reo's insolence your majesty; the trauma he suffered in the past as a result of the war has clouded his judgments." She went down on her right knee to display her respect. "Please forgive him."

Bridget's flow of power came to a stop and eventually dissipated; she stood up straight before releasing a gentle sigh.

"I suppose the aftermath of wars can be a bit traumatizing at a young age, very well. He will be forgiven." Principal Helen let out a sigh of relief; this was the second time she had seen her that angry anytime her parents were mentioned.

"Now that you three have officially been added to the kingdoms forces, you will be informed on your first task."

"No..." Neo spoke in a deep voice, his hair casting a shadow over his eyes.

"What?" Bridget turned around on hearing Neo's disapproval.

"I won't be part of any army that seeks only bloodshed and destruction in the name of peace." Neo turned around and walked to the exit of the hall.

"I'll end this war my own way and on my own terms, even if that means doing it on my own." He stated simply.

Bridget grinned her teeth in annoyance, he dared defy her twice?

Neo walked out of the hall; however, Bridget did not expect what happened next. 

"Wait up!" A voice yelled that voice belonged to the third candidate chosen by the princess herself, Stephanie.

Neo looked over his shoulders as Stephanie approached him. "What is it?" He asked plainly.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going with you." She replied.

Bridget and Helen were taken aback; Stephanie did not utter a single word since the start of the exams till now.

"You dare go against your princess?!" Helen exclaimed at both Neo and Stephanie.

"Sorry." Stephanie spoke. "But I have no interest in spilling innocent blood. Reo's right, this isn't for the sake of peace. All our adored princess seeks is vengeance and that is something I won't be a part of." Stephanie spoke her mind.

Vanessa smiled, the princess intentions had already been revealed. "It's decided." She said as she walked past both the princess and principal Helen.

"You are no different from the rest of the other kingdoms, driven by different reasons you all still desire the same thing. Revenge, payback, you do not seek peace or anything like that." Together, the three of them left the hall and the academy and all the princess could do was watch as her only hope left.

"Your majesty…" Helen tried comforting her.

"Shut up…just get the third stage over with and find me more capable Aenists." Bridget spoke rudely before leaving the hall.

"As you wish your…." Helen stopped talking as she realized the princess had already left. 

"Tsk...Reo Elwin…" She blurted out in anger, out of all the times she spent with the princess this was the first time Bridget spoke to her that aggressively.

"You will pay dearly for this." She muttered to herself.

[Minutes Later]

Several minutes had passed since the three capable Aenists left the academy, Stephanie walked behind Neo and Vanessa who remained quiet and seemingly forgot that she was there.

"Um…" Stephanie tried to draw their attention.

Both Neo and Vanessa looked behind their shoulders at her. "Oh it's you." Vanessa spoke plainly forgetting that Stephanie has been with them since they left the academy.

"You can call me Stephanie." She replied.

"So Stephanie, are you always this shy?" Vanessa questioned her.

"No not really, it's just…after I watched first-hand the battles the two of you had, I felt unworthy." She answered.

"Unworthy?" Neo asked.

"Yes… I had doubts standing beside both of you in the final evaluation; compared to you both I'm just an average Aenist." She responded.

"You made it to the final evaluation didn't you? For the princess to have chosen you she must have seen your potential." Vanessa tried raising her confidence.

"Yeah…but." Stephanie stuttered.

"The inability to believe in your own strength." Neo interrupted.

"That is when a warrior falls prey to defeat, the moment you lack the confidence in your own power your defeat is assured. If you ever doubt your own strength, get up, train harder and go beyond your limits till you crush those doubts." Neo spoke subconsciously.

Vanessa was shocked, this was the first time she had heard Neo say something that actually possessed that much logic.

Neo shook his head before staring into his right palm. "It happened again huh?" He spoke in his thoughts.

His words were touching to Stephanie who lacked willpower and the ability to believe in herself.

"I-I will!" She exclaimed.