Each of my companions found their place, settling into their chosen seats with a sense of ease and purpose. Meanwhile, I maintained my position upon the grand throne, a symbol of authority and responsibility.
With a thoughtful gaze, Nox posed the question, "What course of action shall we undertake, Kill?" He positioned himself in a secluded corner, his left leg gracefully extended, while his right leg was elegantly folded, his arm finding a resting place upon his knee.
"Nox," I inquired, my voice filled with a yearning for knowledge, "pray tell, what extraordinary gift do you possess?" With a shift in posture, I removed my mask gradually, revealing my face. Crossing my legs once more, I placed the mask delicately upon my abdomen.
With an air of intrigue, Nox began to unravel the enigma of his abilities. "I possess the power of Astral Projection," he revealed, his words tinged with an ethereal quality. "Through this gift, I can extricate my very soul from its corporeal vessel, traversing great distances to witness and comprehend the mysteries of far-off lands. Moreover, through the medium of Crystal Projection, you too shall bear witness to the sights I behold. My aura remains concealed, impervious even to the discerning gaze of the Zodiacs, unless they employ formidable barriers or wield the elusive power of tracking."
Slowly raising my hand with palms open, I pointed towards Nox, indicating where she was seated. "Let's see what you're capable of," I commanded, my tone chillingly firm.
"Alright," Nox suddenly conjured a crystal ball, standing up to place it in the center where everyone could observe. "This is V2 Projection. Even from where you where, you'll still see," she explained while returning to her previous seat. Seating herself, she assumed a poised position, her posture emanating strength and grace.
Her aura emerged gradually, and after ten seconds, the crystal ball suddenly lit up, revealing a large screen above it. The crystal ball transformed into the screen, displaying an image of itself. Slowly, it drew closer to the crystal ball, and a shadow wire suddenly connected us.
"This is my ability, and through these shadow wires, you can communicate with me and hear my voice," Nox spoke from the crystal ball.
"Now, go to Celestria and observe what is happening there," I commanded Nox.
Nox swiftly traveled to Celestria. Black Serpent leaned against a post, standing with his right foot planted against it and his hands crossed over his chest.
"Black Serpent," he was startled by the sound of my voice and turned to face me.
"W-what is it?" he asked me, his eyes hiding something.
"Tell me... what is your real name?" I asked, my voice chillingly cold.
"W-what, it's Black Serpent, isn't it, Kill?" he stammered, but before he could continue, my terrifying aura emerged, and my eyes gleamed with hunger for blood.
"Make sure... that's the last lie you tell me. Now, what is your true name?" I demanded, my voice icy.
Mors, Eira, and Astralus watched me, observing the unfolding scene.
"I-I'm Harrison, Harrison is my name," he said, trembling.
Suddenly, the three of them smiled. "That's a nice name... Harrison?" Eira remarked.
"What is the name of your clan?" I asked, my voice icy.
"It's not famous," he replied, bowing his head, then looking up again. "Savant, I belong to the Savant clan."
"How did you know, about everything? The history of the continent, the 4th Great War, the Demons, all of this?" I questioned him.
"The Savant Clan is known in our ancestral town as the Chrono Visionaries. We possess an innate understanding of all the events unfolding across the globe, owing to our inherent intelligence. Truth be told, I have an elder sister who is exceptionally talented. She's older than me, and by the time I was just 2 months old, I had already learned to read and write. The head of the Savant family often claims that I have the greatest potential to elevate our family name. Our house is filled with books, so as soon as I learned to read and write, I dedicated myself to studying until I turned 7 years old. But I haven't read all the books or learned everything I needed to know, and that's when I decided to leave because I didn't want to inherit the leadership of the Savant clan," Harrison recounted.
"Did you choose to be a bandit and steal from others rather than embrace your leadership role?" I asked again.
Harrison, or Black Serpent, lowered his head. "That's what I prefer above all else - to live without relying on others. So, I'd rather be a bandit than sit idly in a corner and expand my knowledge, because I want to fight," he said, smiling as he clenched his fists while gazing up at my throne.
"With your vast knowledge, you'll be my right hand," I told him.
The eyes of Mors, Eira, and Astralus widened. In unison, they too smiled.
"Thou art the Hand of Death, Harrison," I uttered with an icy tone. "Mors, thou art the Bringer of Death; Nox, the Messenger of Death; Eira, thou art the Angel Of Death; and Astralus, the Voidwing Of Death. We have yet five companions awaiting, so let us tarry a while," I added, the chill in my voice palpable.
"By the way, Kill, aren't you an assassin? Have you heard about what happened to the 13th seat, Axel Drayzer? He's been ousted and replaced by someone younger, probably around your age now. Do you happen to know his name?... Ahh, yes, Kairos SilentBlade. He's the one occupying the 13th seat now," Harrison interjected.
"Is that so?" I answered as if I don't care
Lilith's POV
had been in class all day, never once stepping out of the classroom for training.
I was seated at the very back of the classroom, my right elbow turned off on my desk, my palm cradling my face. I gazed out the window while our teacher lectured at the front.
The sound of the clock was audible, ticking away the time until dismissal. I took a deep breath and stood up. Our teacher stopped speaking.
"Where are you going, Lilith?" he asked me.
I pocketed my hands in the trouser uniform I wore. "Just to the restroom, teacher," I said, walking out.
The teacher slightly bent down and adjusted his glasses downward to look me in the eyes. "Don't take too long."
As I exited, I walked towards the restroom, and upon reaching the hallway where both the men's and women's restrooms were visible, I stopped.
I sighed deeply and made my way to the rooftop instead. My footsteps echoed loudly on the stairs, amplified by the academy's profound silence.
Upon reaching the door, I pushed it open. The wind greeted me with its fierce embrace, clearing the air around me.
I walked across the rooftop to its very edge, where the expanse of the academy below stretched out in all its vastness.
"Hey, don't you dare think about jumping," came a voice from behind me, sounding as if it had just awoken. "Ahhh, there's nothing like a good nap.
I turned around and saw him at the top of the stairway door, on what seemed like a mini rooftop. Raya had just woken up, and it was evident in his eyes that he longed for more sleep.
I smiled. "Crazy, why would I jump?" I joked with him.
"By the way, that hair of yours, get a haircut, you're starting to look like a girl, and I preferred your old hair color, the orange one," Raya's voice was still lazy, betraying his desire to return to sleep.
"Harsh, Raya, HEHE," I could only scratch my head in response.
"Lilith, you know, it's better when your hair is cut short, you're starting to look like your sister. They're beginning to mistake you for a girl, ppfftt!!!" He covered his mouth and laughed.
"Alright, alright, that was the plan anyway," I replied.
"Lilith, do you have anything planned for the day after tomorrow?" he asked, his voice still lazy.
"Hmmm?... I don't think so, why?" I asked Raya.
"Let's visit Kill's grave," he suggested to me.
"Sure," I replied with a smile.