Monarch Made Millenia: Breakpoint

Chapter 2 Genisis

The air swirled and swayed with a choking heat touching everyone in the stadium. Zom, his hand red hot, was set ablaze. The stirring furnace that was the whole room grew hotter at a dire pace. Lady Everlar drew her sword, water flowing around it. Suddenly, Zom punched his arm in front of him. Veins of fire spiraled from the ground and ceiling into his grasp. Orange, whipping, and raging out, the fiery torrent shook the stadium. What's this kid's veren? She wondered, shielding herself with water. Finally, the flames slowed as all of them coursed their way to a blue orb in the boy's hand. "Come forth," Zom growled, cracking the pearl in his grip. Flames, wilder and hotter than before, exploding out for a second, then subsiding. The class cautiously looked back at the arena, thankfully without flames, with Zom and his sword ready at last. There also was the oddity of a new chill to the room. Lady Everlar kicked down, now, her wall of ice and sighed. "Pellatora, c-catch me after c-class," the instructor shivered, starting to walk back to the stands. "Ezph-ph-ph," she sneezed, "Ezphin Verkoi...pull your sword out already, I'm cold." The boy cupped his hands and blew until he realized its futility. "Alright, let's do this," Ezphin sighed. For many, the fear of almost dying is something nonexistent. A blood-curdling terror, biting every cell with icy fangs. Everyone felt it -- their worst fears rising behind Ezphin. Like a blanket of death, a black cloud swallowed the boy. In even less time, Zom watched as the grim smoke tore through his eyes, up his nose and lungs, sending the boy into seizures. He jerked and twitched while his limbs flailed about, joints popping and pulling out. All of a sudden, he fell limp then shot up to his feet. Glaring in defense, Zom tightened his grip, what's wrong with him? To that, Ezphin's eyes answered, black and glazed over. Something wasn't right -- Everlar knew it. Note to self, Alini, check the student reports more often. The match played in the instructor's mind; whatever the demented displays, it played in with the veren's nature but if so, what is Zom facing? On the other hand, Zom's power gave enough evidence to conclude he could manage himself. Once again, she was the teacher, then again, stopping them wouldn't be fun especially with both of their entrances. Everlar pinched between her eyebrows, sighed, and reluctantly shouted, "Match start!" Zom pushed his sword up slightly out its sheath, flames fanning. With his other hand, he pointed at what was left of Ezphin. Shaping into arrows, a wall of fire projectiles charged at the mindless husk. Unexpectedly, the husk simply slashed and dodged the arrows. What was less expect was the speed it followed up with on its charge towards Zom. One leg back in a stance, Zom didn't waver. "Rondo," he shouted angrily, holding for the right moment. One by one, ugly yet rapid in its pursuit, the black-eyed beast, reversed its grip, shrouding the blade in malevolent energies. As the beast approached only a few yards away, Zom took his chance. "March!", from the ground, a spearhead thrice Zom's size, emerged with force. The husk tried to evade and close the distance, but its opponent stomped, erecting more spears. From handspring, to flip, to leap, and roll, the husk found itself cornered, to say the least. But it took notice of Zom's less than complex patterns. All he did was march, step after step, stomping hard against the stone. Once the husk adapted to the steps, just before the knockout line, it leapt high above the ground and swiped at Zom. Everything but the tip whiffed past Zom. For a moment, The black-haired boy froze, then staggered, then cowered. The breaths he took felt like lifting an anchor, his fingers and toes ran numb. With the little focus he had, he ignited one hand and grabbed the other wrist, burning his focus back. Nevertheless, a noxious torrent rocked back and forth in his stomach and Ezphin's husk didn't seem very keen on easing up. Reina shook her head as Zom tried to stand straight, "This isn't good. Get up." A shy chill still hanging on her bones, Lady Everlar pushed up her glasses and walked over right outside the octagon. Whatever that kid has as a veren, it must be something nasty if rules weren't in place, lady Everlar thought with a slight frown. The longer the woman stared at Ezphin, eyes darker than night, her mind wondered. Please, Ezphin, do not kill him. I love teaching but I'm really not a fan of hitting kids. The possessed boy flipped his sword back around and began his charge. Watching Ezphin from the corner of his eye, he had to move. Zom had to do something. From that brief strike, memories and sensations flooded Zom's mind; it didn't matter what the veren was. The match required a prompt end. Though Zom's condition was lacking, he gripped his sword, forcing it against his hip. Sliding one foot behind himself, curling his shoulders back, he leaned forward. His eyes dreadfully beat, but his icy stare was colder than ever. Ezphin screeched, dragging his blade against the stone, developing it with even more dark energy. With a whisper, Zom's world slowed. "Rondo," he said, " a thousand embers." A dome, dancing with red-blue lights, covered the octagon. Ezphin swung. Zom flicked his sword out. Ezphin gritted his teeth at the sight -- the hilt intercepted his strike. With an explosion cracking the ground beneath his feet, Zom flew forth, catching his hilt and kneeing the boy. A ribbon of Fire ripped past Ezphin before searing pain smacked into his back, suddenly. The boy tried to stand, but blows from every angle slammed against him in searing precision. Touching down on the fiery lights, springing forth, striking, and repeating. The speed of it all rushed through Zom's body. As he charged again, he struck the boy in the air and continued his assault. From red to orange to yellow, the flames grew hotter. Before Zom could realize it, his flames were blue and the flaming lacerations against Ezphin's body were too many to count. But he didn't stop. Zom shot to the ground, blue flames fluttering on his clothes. With a jump and swing of his sword, Zom...missed? Now stuck on the top of the dome, he looked down at a black mass where Ezphin was previous. "Match over!" Lady Everlar shouted. The boy dashed from disc to fiery disc until he reached the ground. There he was, Ezphin. Cuts ran all about his body but the blackened skin was gone. Alas, from closer inspection from Zom, the cuts only applied to his attire. Lady Everlar turned to Zom, staring hard at him. The boy scrunched his face before dispelling his sword. Ezphin stretched his arms as he stood, yawning long and slow. Before turning from Zom, Lady Everlar gestured the boy closer. Zom leaned in but not to a smile. Everlar's eyes were sharp, her expression was sharp, even her speech was sharp as she spoke. "I'm going to need you both after the day's over," the woman said. A shared fear climbed the boys' spines on their way to the infirmary. Passing the stands after another boisterous presentation was quite loud -- being no one's surprise. With the odd blend of cheers and what sounded like gasps, presumably about Ezphin's rather untouched state. There were two things for certain: they were chosen for their display today and whatever this choosing entailed, it wasn't to their liking. After the rest of the class cleared their way through their bouts, they readied their things from the locker room and made their way back to their dorms. Of course, for the chosen ones, they had gathered back at their classrooms. For Zom, who waddled down the halls, turned his stomach almost as much as Lady Everlar's smiles. Despite his current regressions, he turned the knob and walked in. Remembering to scan the room, his previous thoughts were concluded -- the room was huge. From row to column, he counted 72 chairs. That is a lot of students, he thought before looking at the actual attendance. Counting again, there were seven seated near the front with Lady Everlar sitting on her desk. "Glad you could make it, Zom. Take a seat," the woman tilted her head with a thin smile. For the lack of time knowing the woman, he could sense she wasn't in the best of moods. Knowing such, he slid to the second row and took a seat. Lady Everlar looked down at her black heels, "Damn it all. Just a show of hands, who knows why they're here? No guesses." One hand stood firm from a petite girl, cross-legged, in the front row. Lady Everlar threw her hand out towards the girl helplessly, "Okay, come on." "You're choosing the best of our class?" the girl replied. Lady Everlar frowned slightly, "I said no guesses but that's partly the reason some of you are here." Hearing that, everyone sat a bit straighter. "The reason for you all being here is within one or more of these categories: A prodigy, a slacker, an aspiring student, or a danger to the school-" "Wait, Lady Everlar, isn't profiling who's a threat to-" the girl started. The tall woman walked in front of the girl's desk, looking over with an emotionless expression. She cracked her neck, back and forth, before slamming her hands on her student's desk. "Honey, I'm not sure if they taught you how to read the room back at princess school, but I'd get with the times." The girl raised her voice, "How dare you!" Suddenly, the student silenced herself before the water knives in her face. Lady Everlar smiled at her, jostling the aquatic blades before returning to her place at her desk. For a hanging minute, no one said a word. For Zom, the criteria listed out was the only thing he could hear. Good, I'm in the right direction, at square one, no less, he thought with a silent grin. As Zom watched, one of the water knives struck his desk, sending him over in his chair. The class sat straight, one of the students chuckling before a knife struck their desk and following suit. Though, looking again, her knife count was equivalent to the number of students. With the students' attention on her, Lady Everlar threw the rest of the knives to the remaining students. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd get comfy with this group here because you'll need to cooperate." Zom's eyes widened, why do we have to rely on people? I can manage myself. At this point, the interest Zom was growing thin. He tapped his leg and glared at his teacher for the rest of her introduction. You could have chosen any under the sun but now I have to be hindered by someone else, the blue-eyed boy thought. You're making it much harder to tolerate you. Lady Everlar, now circling her desk, smiled with a sinister pleasure. "I am well aware none of you asked or sought this moment out, but I can reassure you that the results will be quite to your liking. Your enrollment here has given me the privilege to turn your weak and wildcard selves to something far greater than you imagine," Lady Everlar sighed. "Kids, greatness is a radical engine that waits for no one and drives off the rails. So when greatness comes your way, seize your opportunity -- or else." The girl from before wrinkled her nose, "'Or else' what?" "Or else I'll work you till you pray for death, and to be frank, Remzil, you got quite the mouth for someone far behind in their combat abilities."The girl crossed her arms tight and turned away, the gull of this woman.Lady Everlar returned to her perch on her desk, "I would like to be the first teacher to congratulate you for getting into the program and on my pride as the 63rd seat, and your teacher, I promise to push you beyond your limits," she said with a wink, "Welcome to the sentinel program."