CHAPTER ELEVEN
Mr. Verim stands above a procession of his students, all sitting on the dirt ground before him. His hands look raised in a tale and Melody comes upon him mid-story.
"- that's why I don't particularly trust that man…"
Mr. Verim curtly bows and he finishes, the class laughs at the humorous story he would've just told. Melody comes to them and stands behind them. Mr. Verim finishes his bow and notices her at the back.
"Miss Melody, thank you for joining us."
He quickly announces her and again works to pull attention away from everything that just happened.
"You missed my reasoning for-ahem- my abrupt meeting with Mr. Gentus."
Mr. Verim raises a fist to his mouth, coughing into it as he says so.
"Oh, I'm sure it's well deserved."
She's quick to side with Mr. Verim, if not for her own misgivings about the man than to keep herself in good standing with Mr. Verim. He catches her words broadly and smiles, nodding to her to take a seat with everyone else.
As the class fiddles in their spots, armor, and weapons knocking into one another, Mr. Verim waits for complete silence. As the class slowly notices this, they find their comfort quick and look to him ahead of them.
"Class. I brought you out here for a chance at a demonstration."
His words stoke the embers in their stomachs, all of their expectations gather.
"But, I'm afraid that things have changed, and we won't be able to proceed with that anymore."
Mr. Verim purposely lets his words hang longer than usual, causing doubt in their gathered hope.
Melody can already tell what's about to happen. Mr. Verim stands now, walking back towards the exit of the colosseum in a step. The class collectively lowers their heads, nearly defeated.
" I expect that you'll have no problems with taking on the Cursed Class, would you?"
Turned away completely, Mr. Verim raises his arms in their hysterical praise.
The class is on their feet in a beat, storming towards Mr. Verim in pure battle vigor. Their shouts nearly throw the teacher forward as they come upon him and huddle around. Mr. Verim's arms are raised, gathering all of their excitement at the announcement.
Mr. Verim and Mr. Gentus seem to have come to an agreement amongst themselves, deciding that if the two classes wanted to practice and test their abilities, that the simplest answer would be to have them test together.
***
Across the field, Mr. Gentus is just finishing his own explanation of their next task.
"-You're not to gravely injure the Blessed students, but I do expect to see your powers in full practice."
Mr. Gentus knows his students and knows that this is the best to hope for when surrounded by their Cursed energy. Mr. Gentus nods to them and gathers them in closer. Waving Mason and Sam into the group, Mr. Gentus kneels before his seated class.
"I really hate this guy… so let's show him what we can do, huh?"
Barely needing to be cheered on, the Cursed class shouts and belts their excitement. Raising swords, axes, guns, and other assorted weaponry to the sky.
Mason, still standing at the back of the group, leans on Sam to his right, recovering from his eruption of Cursed energy a bit ago. Excited for the opportunity though, Mason knows he's not recharging his Cursed energy as quickly as he'd need to be able to fight properly. Mason wrings his arm with his fingers, massaging his right side muscles as best he can.
Sam turns to Mason and quietly speaks.
"Do you think you can manage in a fight right now?"
FSH.
Mason pushes off of Sam's shoulder. Mason stares daggers at Sam for a moment, forced to wince away as his body carries him down to a knee. Sam goes to reach for him, but Mason falls too quickly and he just as quickly throws his hand up to stop him. Mason's prideful pain goes on undisturbed.
"Dammit!"
Mason shouts from the back of the class, and Mr. Gentus walks away from the group, gathering the students to follow him into the colosseum's grounds. The entire class filters down into the lower level of the colosseum and lines against the wall, at Mr. Gentus' nod.
Sam stays beside Mason and worries.
"It's going to kill him if he can't fight here…"
Sam thinks about the giant BRECK poster that Mason tore up before, knowing how much of a feat he has to achieve.
Mason grabs a fistful of stones and presses them tightly in his hand.
"Come on…"
Mason tries to force his Cursed Energy to pour into his hand, looking to crush the stones into dust.
Sam watches silently, waiting and hoping to see the same thing. Before too long, Mason throws the stones behind him, reaching up towards Sam.
"Oh!"
Sam grabs his arm and yanks him up, pulling him to his side closely.
"Let's just go, Sam."
The two of them march forward, heading into the colosseum's walls and slowly lining up at the end of the class.
Mr. Gentus notices the whole of his class is here and starts to explain what's going to happen.
***
Mr. Verim likewise has lined his class up against the opposite arena wall and waits for them to stop moving. After only a minute, Mr. Verim steps forward and smiles.
"Second-Years."
Their heads lock into positions.
"What do you think?"
Mr. Verim raises his hands up to them, asking for suggestions.
"Battle-royale? An all-for-one deathmatch to see who stands above both classes!?"
Some light cheers call from the line of Blessed students. Melody keeps her hands from clapping, knowing this isn't the best method to test everyone, no matter how much fun it would be.
"How about Class Vs. Class? All of you charging together as one…. Hmm?"
This suggestion is met with little fanfare, the students seem to prefer a chance at sole glory than the whole of their class. Melody waits for some more options.
Okirk, next to next of her in line, shouts now.
"All for one!"
His thugs beside him shout as well.
"Yeah!"
Melody tries to ignore their boisterous cackling. Melody doesn't know what way she'd like to prove herself in combat, but she knows if it's an all-for-one then she has more of a chance to be picked out by everyone. Advantageous to show how strong she is, but doesn't help her in the long run with learning control.
"It's not enough to be strong…"
Melody thinks to herself, trying to find the best way to grow.
Continued in PART FORTY-SIX…