Chapter 88: THE KING, THE QUEEN, AND THE ANOMALY
Somewhere in AETHER Blessed Academy.
Silence.
Complete silence.
The hPad screen went blank. The light died. And the last image stayed in the air for half a second.
Lynx, standing over Thomas. One hand still smoking from the shattered stone.
Thomas on both knees. Blood dripping from his lip. His SSS Rank aura flickering. The barrier behind him cracked in a spiderweb pattern. The whole arena destroyed.
No one breathed.
For ten whole seconds, the only sound in the office was the faint ticking of the clock, and the slow swirl of coffee in Amelia’s cup.
"Soo... Still have anything to say?" A smirk tugged her lips as Amelia looked at the boy and girl that sat in front of her. In her dimmed lighted, almost dark office.
Her pure white eyes. Scanning them slowly, like she was reading their souls.
The room was black marble. It was cold, that’s the normal room temperature... Cold. Seven layers of wards humming in the walls. Anti-scrying. Anti-sound. Anti-everything.
The only light came from a single floating crystal lamp above the desk, casting long, sharp shadows across the walls, across the desk, across her face.
And sitting in the center of it all was Amelia Veyrith.
Headmistress of AETHER Blessed Academy. Old, that’s what people just know, they knew she was old in age. But she was with that matured type of young. The kind teenagers don’t have. She was terrifyingly beautiful.
Black hair so deep it drank the light, falling past her shoulders in smooth waves. Beautiful Face, White eyes. No pupils. No irises. Just endless pale.
A golden sigil on her forehead pulsing faintly. Her lips full, bloody red, curved in a permanent half smirk.
Black coat with red lining draped over her shoulders. Black dress underneath. Curves obscene. Big breasts that moved with even the slightest breath. But one that you won’t dare to look.
Her waist was sharp. Hips spilling over the chair. Gloves to her elbows. Every inch of her screaming power, devastating power.
In front of her sat the other two people in the room.
The King and the Queen of AETHER Blessed Academy.
Julian, the King of the Academy.
6’3. His shoulders were broad. Posture straight like he was born with a crown on his head. Short black hair, neat. Trimmed perfectly at the sides, longer on top, combed back.
Not a strand out of place. He was handsome. Had a clean jaw, high cheekbones, proud eyes. Ice blue eyes. Cold but bright, like winter sunlight.
Golden uniform, different from the school’s deep blue. His was golden with white trim. Black boots polished. He sat with his back straight, hands on his knees. He was slightly afraid of the woman in front of him.
He didn’t show it though. Who wouldn’t be afraid saying in the same room with her. But he was not fidgeting. Not even once. Every movement was calculated. Every breath he breathed in and out was controlled.
Eleanor, the Queen of the Academy.
5’9, sitting beside him, and boy was she beautiful.
Purple hair, long and straight, falling past her waist like a waterfall of snow, tied once at the end with a thin black ribbon.
Pale skin, flawless. Purple eyes matching her hair, soft but sharp, lips pink. Her face showing no hint of pressure or discomfort. Just held a blank stare.
Her golden uniform was fitted to her in a really sexy way, hugging her big breasts and curves, waist dipping in sharply, hips wide. Her posture was elegant and perfect.
And Julian?... Julian kept stealing glances at her. Quick ones that he thought nobody noticed. When she turned her head slightly, when she adjusted her hair, when she crossed her legs. Amelia noticed. She noticed everything, but she kept quiet and let him fill his eyes.
Amelia took a slow sip of her coffee, black and bitter, no sugar, then set it down. The soft sound echoed through the office.
"So," she drew the word out, "the fight. Thoughts?"
Julian exhaled through his nose. "He’s strong."
His voice was low and proud. "Stronger than Thomas, obviously. Stronger than most if not all Year 3s. Maybe even most Year 4s."
"Obviously," Amelia echoed. "And?"
Julian’s jaw tightened. "And I still don’t see him as a threat. Yet. He might be strong, but strength isn’t everything. Experience, control, strategy, those matter more."
Eleanor raised her eyes at Julian’s words, just a fraction. ’Haven’t he watched all his fights?’ She thought but she didn’t comment, and Amelia saw it, that tiny flicker, and she passed a small knowing smile at Eleanor.
They kept talking and talking. About Lynx. About how he was going to help them greatly in the approaching tournament. About how his unusual five affinities made him a wildcard.
Amelia kept commenting on purpose, poking the bear. "He has the potential to become as powerful as the King of the Empire, you know. Maybe even surpass him, if he lives that long, and he might take away the king of this academy title from you."
Every time Lynx’s name was mentioned, especially at the last word left Amelia’s pretty bloody red lips. Julian’s face changed color, just slightly, his proud mask slipping.
While Eleanor kept her face neutral, not betraying any emotions, until a question was finally thrown at her.
"He is interesting," she said, her voice calm and even like water. "But let’s see how far he will go. I know you’re interested in him now, Headmistress, and here all know if you’re interested in a student, it never ends well for the student."
Amelia laughed richly. "Sharp girl. But who knows, things might be different this time. Jacob died because he was weak the last time. Not my fault."
Eleanor’s eyes narrowed. "You literally sent him on a death mission alone, in the restricted area of the Academy forests, where level 3-4 beasts roam."
"He was weak," Amelia said, like it was fact.
"He was a kid, with potential," Eleanor shot back, her calm cold voice rising just a little. "You almost destroyed mine and Julian’s life too."
"But you survived," Amelia shrugged.
"We went unconscious for days," Eleanor leaned forward, her curves pressing against the table. "We barely survived."
Amelia and Eleanor went back and forth. It was a bit funny, Eleanor’s frustration, Amelia’s indifference. And through it all, Julian kept stealing glances at Eleanor, at the way her hair fell, at the way her chest rose when she got mad. And Amelia watched, and said nothing.
"Why?" Julian interrupted, cutting through it.
"Why what, boy?" Amelia said, turning to him.
"Why haven’t you sent that Year 2 trending student to the restricted area of the academy forest?" Julian said.
"You already had 3 or more students killed there. Me and Eleanor almost died. Anytime you find a fresh student with potential, you send him there. And Lynx is at the class where you usually send, and you haven’t sent him yet."
Amelia tilted her head. "Simple. Because he would kill all the beasts there. He would be a threat to them."
Julian laughed, loud and disbelieving. "Level 3 and 4 beasts? There are also a little Level 5 beasts there, and there are dozens of beasts. How would he survive? Because of his trials? How do we know the teachers he fought with weren’t holding back?"
Even Eleanor seemed to agree with Julian.
That place was restricted for a reason. If a student ventured to the Academy forest to kill beasts for a mission, or kill them to train and get stronger, they don’t go to the restricted area. No matter what.
"You want to know why?" Amelia’s pure white, scary eyes scanned both students.
They nodded.
"Because Lynx went to the forbidden zone."
Silence.
Then Julian started laughing. "I know you’re interested in him Headmistress. He’s our hope to win the tournament and all that. But don’t you thi—"
"Shut up." She spoke one word, and his mouth snapped shut.
"Lynx awakened at 18," Amelia continued.
"Received his blessings. And somehow, his blessed sigil is silver. Have you ever seen a human blessed with silver sigil, online and in real life across the human continent?"
Both shook their heads.
She smiled. "He came to this academy with only 4 affinities, all A ranked. What are the odds? He just awakened, rare late, no training, nothing. And he received all A ranked 4 affinities. First human in history to have 4."
She paused.
"He trained with Rose for sometime, and he couldn’t use his affinity. He looked like a complete beginner. I believe at that moment, even a Year 1 student could beat him to pulp. But after he realized that he was very weak, he left."
"Left how?" Eleanor asked.
"He left the academy."
"He left the academy? And the securities who could spot an assassin from a mile away couldn’t see him?" Julian said, frowning.
"Yes," Amelia said. "As we speak he is not even here. He is at some place with a woman, enjoying his life. Far from the Academy."
Both Eleanor and Julian shared a look. Lynx left this academy, under those trained security guards. Not even once, Damn.
"Anyway, after he left, he somehow vanished, then appeared at the forbidden zone," Amelia said.
"Don’t ask me. I don’t know how he also did it. The forbidden zone is many days journey from here, yet it took him a minute. He spent a year in there, equivalent to a month in here. Imagine, a year in the forbidden zone and coming back home. Where even the Stongest Blessed goes and won’t return back."
She let that sink in.
"Aren’t you worried?" Julian asked.
"About what?"
"He came out of that cursed place alive, and stronger than ever," Julian said. "He could be a threat to—"
Amelia chuckled. "Threat? To who? Me? The academy? The Empire?"
Then she released 1 percent of her aura.
The room shook, the dim light went black.
Both the King and Queen of the academy felt it in their souls. Fear, dread, countless unknown souls crying for release, the weight of mountains of battles.
Julian’s hands gripped the armrests, his proud face pale. Eleanor’s breath hitched, her big chest rising fast. They almost cried.
Then Amelia sealed it again, then she smiled, sweet and dangerous.
They both looked at her in horror.
———
Lynx sneezed hard over his bowl of noodles.
Amira looked up. "Bless you."
Lynx wiped his nose. "I think someone’s talking about me."
Amira snorted. "You’re the number 1 trending person in AETHER Blessed Academy. Everyone is talking about you. You defeated your teacher. Knocked out guys with a punch. I watched all your videos, I think the whole Empire watched it. Not just your school."
Lynx laughed at that. "Damn. Fame sucks."
Amira smiled too. "Hey, after this, let’s go somewhere. Away from this big mansion."
Lynx’s curiosity rose. "Like where?"
Amira grinned. "Don’t worry. You’ll see it soon."
"I hope you won’t get me killed. I have people waiting on me."
Amira laughed "You’ll never know."