'An inside job?' Aster thought. He briefly glanced at Ms. Seeker while separating and unfolding papers that had gotten mixed together due to Ms. Seeker's carelessness. Where could have that key scrap of paper she had used gone when she hadn't the time to get a new file? the bottom of her bin, Aster bet. And so there he was, sitting cross-legged on the floor and unfolding papers.
Ms. Seeker's office was quite spacious with shiny off-white tiles, with a 6-level book rack and three sofas surrounding a wooden rectangular table. Another desk opposite to the door of the room had many important papers place beneath a glass sheet covering the entire table. Ms. Seeker read and re-read a modern copy of Ein's revelations, spinning a bit in her comfortable brown leather chair. There were several copies of revelations and different thesis regarding it stacked on top of the table in front of her. On closer inspection there were also newspaper articles beneath the glass.
Apprentice to Sir Malfoy since he grew up, Aster knew more about mana than he knew about Ein. Rouge also seemed to know about Walpurgis night. There was something about Rouge that made you want to trust him. At first he had thought Rouge was like Malfoy, always testing and brewing stuff, and he readily volunteered to taste his "candy".
Then was Garnet. He supposed she wasn't a threat to him either, but she always rushed and had poor control over her mana. But she was nice and Aster liked her.
Then was Davin, who was helping him. He didn't know what he had done to him, but he felt unnaturally guilty from the glare he received. Davin had also taken the book Rouge had given to Misaki. Ms. Seeker hadn't minded the redhead but Davin did. A by-the-rules person with a holier-than-thou attitude.
And Misaki. The one upset over Sakila's death. Truthfully, he had seen enough death to not be fazed by it. Somehow, he hated himself for growing apathetic. Aster hadn't even bothered trying to help. He felt like he owed something to Misaki and he would make up for it. Thinking of Sakila... !!
'Searching. They are searching for something!' Aster thought. Eyes rolling to the back of the head. How had he missed it! 'They drain mana to reduce the life force and when the person is brought to the brink of death, the point at which the memories begin to unfold, they would be be able to see everything. Definitely something intelligent.' He had to tell Rouge.
"Ms. Seeker?" Aster asked hesitatingly. "Yes?" "I'm done with my work, can I leave for today? I have something important to do."
"Important?" she flipped a crispy white page. "Go ahead." Ruth Seeker was surprised at the neat stack of papers Aster presented, her bin empty. Little did everyone know, Aster had once smoothed out tossed newspapers and resold them to acquire money for his black sneakers.
Quarter of an hour later everyone was allowed to leave but Aster was nowhere to be found.
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Almost six PM. The sun had begun to go down. Watching the dawn and dusk from the watchtower was one of Rouge's favorite pastimes. But the place had strategic importance as well. Taller than all the school buildings, the watchtower was made of reddish brown bricks. One gained full view of the Gretchen High campus.
It happened fast. All students were safely in their dorms. The clock struck six silently, and Rouge leaped from where he stood above the . There was a huge impact where he stood, bricks and debris flying everywhere.
There. Using cushions of air, Rouge jumped from leg to leg in the air toward the new presence. About six feet tall, a orange-red creature seemingly made out light. There was a mouth but no lips and intimidating eyes but no lids.
The spirit flew at him but Rouge shot himself straight down towards the ground just to evade it. The sky had darkened. Conjuring water, Rouge used his increased momentum to slide against the earth to escape yet another attack from the Spirit. Spinning around, he stood up and faced it.
The spirit stopped to look at him now and the red-clad teen almost took a step back. It had a powerful aura. The trouble was how to stop it. It had already taken two lives.
Walpurgis night. Rouge knew. Knowledge that would equal to death if the headmaster knew Rouge had it.
Spirits, one for each element. The spirits were emotions of the planet, headed under a single entity known as the Gaia. The Gaia was the ringmaster of the spirits. Fire was anger, Water was sorrow, Wind was happiness, Earth was calmness and Lightning was supposed to be Karma. There had existed four elements for 2000 years in the beginning.
Heading towards the forest of huge trees, Rouge colleeted his mind furiously, dodging assault after assault. He drew on his enormous reservoir of physical energy as he headed for that one place, the underground Colosseum. Only a few teachers knew of it.
A spirit was a being of pure mana, without any physical shape or form. The only thing that linked the mana and the human body was the soul. That would mean either he would have to deplete all of it's power or seal it. The one behind Rouge was the spirit of fire, Infernos, if he recalled correctly.
He soon reached his destination and jumped down the stone door which automatically slid open on the ground. It was pitch black, but then the spirit followed and the area glowed, revealing a tattered battlefield littered with stones, debris and shingles. The walls around them were made of earth but magically defective to prevent being used for magic or falling in.
"Now then," A snap of his fingers, the steam emanating from Rouge's body set the whole place on fire, wild orange flames surrounding him and the spirit in a huge circle. The tips of fire grew hotter with each second, but Rouge's body remained blissfully cool. Growing dark red, the edges of blazes began to turn liquid and drip on the ground, plunging into the earth by several meters.
Magma. A genetic ability that belonged to Rouge, the last of the Scarlets.
"I hadn't expected this time to come so soon." Rouge said to the spirit. He was sure it was being of intelligence. Spirit or human, it was a murderer. A seven point seal, Rouge could manage. But a sealing and fighting a spirit, he couldn't.
"Hurry up with the coffee." Rouge remarked, a smile decorating his face.
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Above the forest floor, Aster noticed a trail of footsteps burned to the ground. He turned around, facing someone.
"You're also here? well, the more the merrier. Rouge needs all the help he can get." Aster said to the new arrival.
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(Okay, I probably need another one of you for the battle scene with the spirit, I was hoping an NPC from you guys, which is why I wrote the last scene~ also, I find the idea of humans turning into spirits sort of boring.
Also, regarding the time, Everyone came in the morning like 12 because I don't know wuho would miss the chance of skipping classes upon new admission. Then classes were cancelled due to a murder in the school. Only the people who stay in dorms are at the school and on Rouge's orders they are staying in dorms, not roaming around areas. By the time they finish Ms. Seeker's tasks it is dusk. Aster leaves earlier, then the others follow. Reason will be revealed soon, I think. Depends.)
