ARTEMIS ACADEMY

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Nixie's Point of View

"Visit the academy hospital again if you feel anymore pain, okay?" Tyler reminded while I was fixing the bunk bed I used.

"Noted, Tyler. Anything I should take note of other than that?" I asked because he was still standing beside me.

He came a while ago and told me he was here for final checking of the students' condition. He kept on blabbering nonsense that it made me want to cover my ears in frustration. Was he usually this noisy?

"Nothing much. Are you sure that you feel fine?" he asked again that made me glare.

He is annoying.

"I'm perfectly fine now, Tyler. Now if I must..." I said and signalled him to move because I couldn't reach the wall where the hospital clothes were.

"I'll escort you to your class. I think it'll be better if I do that." he said again. I just held my patience for longer.

He's a black witch. I don't want to be on his bad side. Elisha even told me not to cross black witches. She said I'll be dead faster than I know it.

"I'm fine. Elisha will be here later. I'll go with her." I replied with utmost control in my voice.

"Okay. I'll see you around then. Don't push yourself too much. The wounds might appear again." he said and finally left me in peace.

Thank God that he left. My ears were starting to bleed because of his talkativeness. I wish I don't see him for the rest of the day. I don't I can handle him today. While I was fixing the bed sheets, Elisha arrived. She smiled at me and sat on the couch situated by the window.

"Whu do you look so happy?" I asked and her smile even grew bigger with what I asked.

"Something great happened this morning. Headmaster Cray announced something." she said and I went to the couch where she was when I finished fixing the bed sheets.

"What is it about?" I asked curious with what made her so happy.

"He announced a while ago that they will be picking some students from the outcast for the Apollo Festival Week!" she exclaimed to me.

"What about the Apollo Festival Week? Is that something grand?" I queried because I really don't know what it was.

Madison had also mentioned it so I was really curious to why it is receiving such hype. Almost everyone had told me about it already. Even the other students who were still here in the hospital was so eager for the Apollo Festival Week.

"It's a yearly celebration, Nixie. It is held to commemorate the creation of Apollo City. There's a long history behind the commemoration but we'll skip that part." she said and took a chip from the bag she saw by the small table beside the couch.

"Is it that important for everyone? I can feel everyone's excitement over it." I pointed out and took a chip too from the bag.

"Of course everyone will be excited! You know, the festival week is so grand. A lot of people are dying to attend the party. Especially the grand ball which is held in the palace of the royalties."

"Does Apollo City have rulers still?" I asked.

"There is. Unlike Artemis City, Apollo still has a King and Queen. King Paolo and Queen Polly. Actually, King Paolo is the little brother of Artemis's last Queen."

"Apollo's King is the younger brother of this city's last Queen? Are the rulers of the three cities related to each other?"

"Bingo! You bet it is." Elisha said and stood up to throw the empty bag of chips we were munching on.

"Then there is a hierarchy. Does that mean that the throne will be passed down to their children?"

"Uh-huh. It runs in the blood, Nixie. Once you are born to a royal family, you'll be expected to lead. It's something that is going on here in our world for a lot of years now."

I nodded while still connecting the new information I got today. When I finally absorbed everything, I stood up and picked up my things.

"I'll be on my way. You can go to class already. I'll be fine going to the dorms." I said and didn't wait for Elisha's answer and just ran off.

After reaching the academy grounds, I stopped running and stared at the surroundings. Just by looking at the academy, you'll never think of it as peculiar or anything. The academy looks just like a normal private academy for me. It just looks so majestic from outside because of the big hotel-like dormitories in here.

I sat on the grass and rested my head at the trunk of the tree I sat under. The cold wind blew and I couldn't help but inhale it with all my might. While I was relaxing here at the grounds, little fluttering sounds caught my attention. I looked closely on the air and saw pixie dusts falling.

Wait. Are they fairies?

Because of excitement, I couldn't helo but stand up abruptly which made me bump with the tree and lose balance. I didn't know what I was going to do when my whole body started falling. I closed my eyes and waited for the ground when I felt a warm body hitting mine.

"Damn it." a voice uttered that sent chills down my spine. That voice belonged to someone I know. I can't be mistaken because he's the only one with that deep husky voice.

I was so shocked and frightened that I couldn't stand up quickly. I stayed on his back for a few more seconds before Levi finally stood up straight. I did the same and looked at him with wide eyes. Is he angry at me? He just cussed a while ago. Me hitting his back was also probably painful.

Levi started stretching his neck and checked if he was okay. When he finished, he looked at me with such grim expression. Uh-oh. I think I just made him mad at me. I started stepping backwards, trying to avoid him. When I took my fifth step, my back mrt the tree. I had nowhere else to go and Levi had caged me with his arms.

His eyes suddenly met mine. My heart started beating so fast and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. We were starting a staring contest right now and nobody wanted to back off.

"Look where you are falling. Not everyone can hold their patience with clumsy people." he mumbled and I gulped the saliva forming on my throat.

"I.... I'm..." I started saying but Levi moved his head nearer to me that made me stop from talking.

"Be careful, new girl. I won't be nice to you the next time around." he said and I was in utter shock when I saw his eyes flicker and changed into a different color before turning to black again.

Did his eyes just changed color? How can he do that? Is that part of his Art?

"Be nice. Don't make me mad. I bite people like you." he said and his lower lip slightly touched my ears that made me stiffen in confusion.

He was already away when I got to my senses back. I couldn't help but frown to myself. I should have talked back.