THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

After Roxcia's incredible speech, the rest of the ceremony was pretty boring, with a prayer and then a presentation of the different events that will take place during the tournaments, including the bracelets that we will have to wear and other basic details.

We then head back to our carriage and go back to our place. There, they start a small discussion to resume the strategy for the event which is about to take place.

***

"Let's go guys. The headmaster is waiting for us."

After they all finished discussing the strategy for the event, Cordel went upstairs to put his armor on, together with Samson, Keltia, Peter, Esteressa, and Germinia. I wasn't chosen for an obvious reason but still, it bothers me a bit. I would have liked to test that guy.

Germinia will be the catcher since the event we will participate in is the event to find the designated object. While they are changing the rest of us go outside and enter the carriages..

"I wonder where they will hold the event."

"It must be a forest nearby. Thet can't really do it in an arena after all."

This time, Lanuvel got in the same carriage as me and we are alone. Of course, it was going to be like this.

"Surely. But if that's the case, how are we going to see anything?"

"I don't know. Maybe we won't see anything. They must have a way to monitor the event, I am sure."

She is trying to bring that topic; I can see it. But she doesn't know how to do it. Ah…You are so considerate, girl.

"those things are so-"

"You shouldn't ask me."

"W-what?"

"Don't ask. It's not that I don't want to talk about it or that it brings painful memories, but don't ask. I told you all earlier, it is in the past. Besides, I think you have suffered as well." I did kill your father.

"I don't think so."

"Why?" Your mother was kidnapped and tortured, your father died without you knowing why. The only thing that you need to fall into the abyss of despair would be that I tell you I killed him. How can you say that?!!!

"Because they stayed by my side."

"It doesn't mean anything. They have been secretly abandoning you as well that you wouldn't have known."

"Even still, the happy memories we had won't ever leave my heart."

The happy memories, huh…I had those as well, though I can barely remember them now, not with them at least.

"Then you are saying you would still forgive, you would still accept them if they ever reappeared, knowing that they discarded you, that they prioritized their own petty life over you?"

"I…I am not saying that…No, I can't answer that question. For one because I don't know how to feel in such a situation, and for the other, because my mother has come back. I can't be a liar and tell you about feelings that I can't imagine."

"I see. At least, you are honest."

I look by the window and see Cordel coming out with the others, wearing their armors, we are finally going.

"Does it mean that you haven't forgiven them?" Lanuvel looks at me with sadness.

There is no reason for you to be sad about me, I am a coward who doesn't even have the balls to tell you the truth and is taking advantage of your kindness.

"I do not really know if I have forgiven them. But, I can assure you of one thing: I WON'T EVER FORGET."

Seeing my eyes, Lanuvel trembles a bit and, as if it was by reflex, grabs my hand. Her body is still trembling and she has lowered her face.

"What is it?"

"I-it's nothing." I read her thoughts and it seems she got afraid. Afraid of the darkness she saw in my eyes. I can't blame you though, I have seen and spilled too much blood. Perhaps that guy was right to call me a murderer.

As the door of our carriage opens, she releases my hand and just sits more comfortably.

"What were you doing?" Keltia and Peter are the ones to enter.

"Nothing important."

The armors they are wearing are well designed. It is a different model from the ones I saw them with during the school's festival but the colors have stayed the same. They must really like those colors, I guess.

***

As I thought, the event is held in a forest. The carriages are going outside the city and I can see trees all around us. We get down and there is a field in front of us. The hammer hands is already there, with the guy from earlier and six other students. Frankher is present as well, with the teachers. But, I also get to see her. Farner is present with her sisters. Her golden hair swaying under the wind and she is talking with Teacher Mneme.

But why is that guy looking at her like that? Not just her, the pupil of the hammer hands is looking at the heroes with clear animosity. Anyway, we go to them and Lanuvel is the first to greet Roxcia while Cordel and the guys who will fight goes to Frankher.

"it's been a while." I greet Farner normally and she turns around normally, looks at me normally, and extends her hand normally. Right, you are a hero right now, you can't just show your usual self, I guess.

"Good morning, Mr.Dragonroad. I hope your trip was not too long." I take her hand and shake it.

"Not really. I have seen worse." She turns to the others and greets them the same way after that.

I look at the hammer hands's side meanwhile and all his members who will fight seem ready. They are talking and all of them are wearing the same armor. I guess that's another tactic. That way, it is impossible for us to know who is who and who will be going for the designated object. Even more so because their helmet is completely covering their heads.

"That's a good tactic."

That guy is good. Though, it can also backstab them later on. If they are all wearing the same armor, that means there will be the same flaws and weaknesses on them. So the only problem will be to find out those flaws. But knowing Cordel, it won't be a problem, I hope.

I notice the pupil looking at me for a second then going back to the heroes. Is he going to do something again? He then walks to me and as I thought, he is using Silent steps, I can barely hear his steps even though I am focusing my hearing on his feet's movement.

"Yo, murderer."

"It's Dragonroad."

"What?"

"My name is Dragonroad. Kevin Dragonroad."

"Like I give a fuck. Anyway, you seem awfully-" Just like Farner, I extend my hand to him and threaten him with my eyes.

"KEVIN. DRAGONROAD. NICE TO MEET YOU."

The guy looks at me for a moment, perplexed, then he smiles like a demon and grips my hand. As he does, I feel the darkness of Regas trying to invade me. Like I thought.

"It seems my fear were spot on. They have started creating them here as well. Be extremely careful." Cissa reacts immediately and warns me.

"Don't worry, Cissa. This is nothing." I release my aura around my hand and the sensation goes away just like it appeared.

"Oh…Interesting. So you aren't as weak as master said then. Perhaps you will make me escape my boredom for some minutes."

"Your name, fucker." I am tired of playing nice with you.

"THANDO. THANDO TALADAS."

He releases my hands after that and turns around. I notice the hammer hand's eyes piercing him with a glare but he doesn't seem to mind much.

"We will certainly have a nice opportunity to gauge how far a murderer like you can go. Though I have meager expectations of the results." He waves his hands while walking back to his position.

On my side, I can feel Keltia's stare behind me without even turning. She is still mad at him for disrespecting her father after all. Though, at least now, we know his name, it's a step forward that can't be neglected. Thando…That's a kind of weird name.

***

A few minutes pass and then we see a last carriage arriving on the site. From it, four teachers come out. Well, I guess they are teachers seeing as they are wearing the same kind of attire as Smith. Once again, the colors are the only difference.

"Good morning to all of you."

One of the teachers stand in front of the rest and greet us. He is a bearded man with a funny face. Long eyelashes, light blue hair, and eyes, a not so white skin. Is he sick? The way he moves is contradictory to his skin tone.

"I am sorry for the small delay. We had some trouble with the logistic team in charge of recording the event. But, please don't worry. Everything is back into order now."

"What was the cause?" Frankher asks the teacher who smiles at me warmly.

"I see that the headmaster of the eternal academy is still very protective of his students. It was a crystal malfunction problem. Some of the crystals we have been using were emptied faster than expected. It seems our technicians didn't place enough care into it. But; like I said, everything is back into order."

"I see."

"And so, I will be explaining the rules and other details of the event."