Ch 40. I Will

Rosanna's P. O. V:

Some minutes passed nine and Aniysa and I were already in the Simulation class. Awaiting our missing instructor with the other students. Including Team Alpha who were present.

I can 90% confirm Corissa Campbell is my suspected killer on the hunt. But that doesn't mean I can strike out the other two suspects. After all, there is a great possibility Corissa is simply one of the matching girls that was identified.

'Corry Campbell is a coincidental lookalike to my true hidden proprietor. Why would my friend's sister be out to kill me?'

So I concluded, feeling relived and shoving all naysayers to the back of my head. Maybe a lil part of my mind felt there was an extra need to be cautious, but I didn't want to feel like I'm living a book-- it was all too dramatic. Even if I kinda was living in a darned book. 

"Can't you stay in my room after class?" Aniysa questioned, typing with lightening speed on her phone. A comment to some misogynistic guy's Instagram reel that she had first ranted to me about.

Sure, women had equal opportunities in this world did not mean the majority were working better than men. A few outstanding and that was it. So some men still felt they were 'occupying space' that could belong to other jobless men who would do better jobs.

The gender equality faction had turn to women's right only so certain things were given not by merit but by pity. And men's mental or physical state underrated to focus solely on women's own equality. So the misogynists didn't reduce in population, but grew more. But maybe with a more covered front. 

The Naza Empire was experiencing peace and the resources it took to develop female soldiers were more than it took men. Some argued that they should leave the females out regardless their interest and focus on nurturing men to higher heights.

But the few outstandingly blessed women proved them wrong. And the Empire was not in need of numerous soldiers.

But I concluded; there are many things a woman can do, but a man does better. And there are many things a man can do, but a woman does better.

I would love to be an advocate by merit. Who can do it better? That's who should do it. Don't pick by gender nor discriminate by gender. So simple is it difficult for both worlds to understand?

But women soldiers will be valued regardless. The Naza Empire will soon experience turmoil and women's aide will be generally needed and urgent to the whole situation. Some female soldiers will shine in this chaos, casting away dainty perspective and hitting as much demons as men. And some male soldiers will show true masculinity in bravery and strength, making singletons like me pregnant from sight. Wait! Scratch that.

'Unhear your thoughts Jael! Unhear them.'

But the majority of cannon fodders will hold the walls with honor, die without mercy or be useless in an actual battle.

"Hey!" Aniysa snapped her fingers in my front.

I smiled sheepishly. "What were you saying?"

"Would you," Aniysa said, stepping forward from leaning on the wall. "Come stay in my dormitory after class? We didn't discuss shi about you. All talks on my sis and we slept like dead logs, almost missing class in the process. We can continue in my dormitory if you'd like."

"Ah... I don't think I can." Kairos and I need to have our daily cuddling session. And not for the right reasons.

Aniysa stared at me in disdain. "You've gotten a mate to shag and now you don't have a life. Disgusting."

I was stunned, before I smirked. "You know, Aniysa, I could say the same for you. You've been staring at Elan like a lovesick fool for the past few minutes."

"Was not!" She protested.

"Yup. And I'm a 200 pounds body positive human."

She snorted and giggled at our joke owing to the video of the 'body positive' individual who was obese and doing some 'healthy' jiggles.

I'm not against hip dips, a 'non skeleton' waist or chubby girls, or even 'flatboards' but some people-- yikes. Eat healthy, exercise healthy, love your body. That is body positivity. Don't skip the first two and choose the third only. And don't skip the last.

"But I'm being honest, Rosa." Aniysa pouted.

I pushed her oversized forehead away and resisted the urge to succumb. She knew I had little resistance to cute things and she was using it against me.

'Fudging adorkable cutie!'

"Fine." She huffed. And our conversation ended just in time for us to see Kairos walk in, looking all sexy in his black battlesuit. And that fine bulge- shut up, shut up Jael!

"Sorry for keeping you all waiting, students. Important calls arrived and I had to answer those first."

1 point for good manners! Some teachers walk in late and look at you like you're the cause of their misery. Like, I am the victim to your tardiness here. You better not take extra time or from that of my lunch break! But alas, they always do.

Kairos walked to our front and stood in the middle, voice loud and serious, carrying a hint of urgency.

"I'm sure you all know about the increasing amount of Nightwalkers. A clear signal the training for this year's batch will be unlike the other. If you so much as wish to live through the battlefield, I advise you to train beyond the academic sessions. And do try to keep up with your studies."

Without waiting for any possible response, Kairos turned his back, raised his hand in the air and made a series of quick hand gestures, which opened up a blue portal that instantly expanded throughout the entire room.

Before I could understand which Naruto hand signs unleashed this whole scenario, my surroundings became dark and I found myself standing alone, in that same desolate battlefield from last time.

"Um... Fvck?"

I saw a group of demons coming from afar and I almost pissed myself. Dust rose in the air creating an unclear sight and the howls and roars of the demons had me thinking how far I could run before being brutalized.

And then I heard Kairos' voice. "Listen up, class. The demons you see are the lowest of the kind: unclassified. Or sometimes called level seven demons. As I told you last week, their weaknesses are everywhere. Eyes, belly, neck, back-- get creative and free with your attacks.

For the mages, between the seconds it takes for them to reach you, channel your mana and prepare whatever spells you know. And for the warriors, according to your information, a weapon has been placed besides you. Ready your stance and fight!"

"And if we don't know any spell?!" I shouted, unknowing where Kairos was but praying he'd heard me.

Two seconds passed and he replied. "If the mages have no learned spells, learn this. Ice spear: Sperio. Water slide: Chancel. Fire blaze: Ignix. Air wave: Flun. Spells with chants. Consider this a gift not to be repeated."

"Thanks!" I smiled. But frowned.

Now do I just chant the spell? How was I- Too late, the demon at the fore front took a leap at me. And my, could they jump like a b!tch. My blood froze and I cried out to whatever powers I had in me.

'Open up and work! O forces within!'

And a flood of warmth gushed like a tide throughout my body. Like I was lit up by a strong current. I testify the supernatural forces hear our calls-- even if answering might be a thing of fate.

"Ignix!" I screamed and ran like a headless fly in the adjacent direction of the demon's aim.

I heard a loud 'whoosh' like something caught aflame and a painful cry from the demon filled the air. But goodness knew I could not rejoice at this moment.

No, not with the demons targeting and surrounding my figure. I stopped a few seconds in my desperate futile run to catch my breath. Betting on my my newly acquired life saving skills to aide me. 'Ignix, Flun, Sperio. That I remember'. The fact was that I felt something in me and I could draw it to work.

So I kept 'pleading' to the force within, feeling my body grow hotter and contrastingly cold as I faced my next attack. Black claws swiped at my face and before I could make out the spells, I was frozen in my own spell. Fear and trepidation.

Luckily, my intense desire to have the demon blasted, manifested an ice spear which shot out from midair, in between my face and the demon's figure.

'Chantless spell.'

Time seemed to pause, my senses awakening to the elements in the environment. I saw everything in slow motion as the ice spear pierced the head of the demon, blood splattering as the demon fell back, without a single groan.

But fvcking sugarcakes, I also found myself eating heavy dust as a set of razor sharp teeth plunged into my waist.

'Initiating... Battle skill; [War Lord]. Adding all system points to strength. Body state: Death state.'

Black filled my vision and my ears rang, blood dripping from the corners of my mouth as the demon dug it's teeth further in my stomach, ripping apart my intestines with a satisfying growl. Was... It munching on my body?

This... Was pain. Burned, scorching and my senses sending extreme danger warnings to my brain. The reality of death was impending. And I wished to not have existed at that very moment.

Could one wish for death so much in a single instance?

I could not scream but have my mouth hang open, fresh blood spewing out. But what numbed my suicidal intent was the cooling sensation that washed over my body, seeming to ignore the 100% deadly hit I received and taking off 50% of the pain I was feeling.

My body moved on its own violation. A crystalline solid ice spear appeared in my hand, the coldness a step away from instantly inducing frostbite on my palm.

And the next second it was whirling straight at the other demon's head whose jaws were wide open to take a chomp on my head.

But I could not protect my leg from being ripped off by another demon.

And for the b!tch which pressed upon me, taking a bloody dinner at my flesh, it lit up with flames and I guess the diner became the dinner. Everything happening in a matter of seconds and the other demon nibbling on my torn leg some steps away.

Roasted meat reeked in the air as well as the nasty stench of blood and rottenness. My blood, and some miasma it seems.

An ice cave was instantly conjured which enclosed around my twitching body. A burnt blackened demon lying dead on me and the roars of the last standing demon blocked out as well as it's angry protest.

I bleed silently, eyes closed till I...

.

.

.

'Is the moment of death so fleeting yet so heavy? All the worries comes off, subdued with a bigger worry. To live, and how I lived. Regret, forced acceptance and the inability to think of a future. Or maybe the inevitability of no future. It was numb and sad, a dark void.'

.

.

.

Warm hands embraced me as my eyes fluttered open. I stared blankly, distant, and confused into the bright moon hanging above.

Lifting me up in a princess carry, a figure carried me away and walked. And said perosn kept walking as my memories flooded in and I regained my full awareness.

I jolted 'awake' in the person's arms, looking up as Kairos held me tighter.

Kairos?

"Kai..." I wanted to utter his name to get a better grasp at reality, but my voice came out cracked and hoarse. My head being in a frenzy of jumbled thoughts. What I needed at this exact moment being some sort of comfort and clear explanation.

Kairos walked inside a large dimly lit tent, his lips pressed in a thin line and eyes tinted red. Or perhaps I was seeing wrong? But I didn't talk, just stared. He kept his silence too, leaving my earlier call unanswered. Only speaking when he had placed me on the makeshift bed.

"Rest." He said, but I stared with a blank gaze.

"...Simulation?" I asked. Tell me it was all a figment of my imaginations. Maybe a dream, if we exclude the pain and future trauma.

"Yes." He replied, eyes gazing deeply into my eyes before his hand cupped my face. Then he trailed his fingers from my cheek to my neck, stopping at my mark.

His fingers were like a set of trailblazers on my skin and it elicited a warm and electrifying sensation. I almost moaned when he touched my mark.

But he withdrew his hand so quickly as though it'd caught fire.

"Sleep." He said in a more commanding tone, and like hypnosis I dozed off once more. Hearing something like a low growl in the background.

But I vowed right at that instant,just as I faded into lalaland. That I would grow stronger than my adversaries. In times of chaos, I will stand with serenity of mind and overcome.

Before it was a necessity but now it's a burning desire.

'I will gain strength and execute power.'

.

And in the latter times I will know the power of desire and determination.