Octvaius felt he had spoken too soon about being within the walls of the Academy.
After his selection, he left with a small group of fellow chosen candidates by Eriol, departing from the ongoing elections.
Together, they made their way to the official registration— after giving the stones to the mages— eager to secure their place in this new Chapter of their lives.
Even Void couldn't help but let out a wistful sigh as he observed the other students moving about with ease, particularly the girls adorned in their elegant, high-collared uniforms.
As he watched them glide effortlessly into the main building, Void's eagerness to follow suit grew, his curiosity piqued by the prospect of encountering more of the Academy's captivating students.
Female students.
As they approached the grand entrance of the esteemed building, the guard unexpectedly veered towards the corner, leaving Octavius to halt in his tracks, perplexed. This was not the anticipated route to the Academy, he thought to himself, his confusion mounting.
Before he could pose the questions swirling in his mind to the guard, who continued walking with an air of nonchalance, Marilyn intervened, her voice preceding Octavius's inquiry.
"Excuse me," Marilyn interjected, "but I believe that's not the entrance. This is," she said, gesturing elegantly towards the imposing structure before her.
The guard, however, didn't falter in his stride as he responded. "That's not where you'll be situated. I'm taking you where you belong here."
A flicker of uncertainty danced across the faces of the group, but their curiosity ultimately got the better of them, and they trailed behind the guard, their reluctance tempered by a growing sense of intrigue.
As they proceeded, the group found themselves passing by a designated area where the waste products of Wysteria were deposited. The pungent aroma wafting from the site was overpowering, prompting them to cover their noses in unison as they hastened past.
After a brief, winding walk, they arrived at a bland entrance, which appeared to be the gateway to an outdated mansion. One that looked the complete opposite of the magnificent building they had walked past.
The once-grand structure now stood as a testament to neglect, its beauty lost beneath a shroud of grime and decay. The surrounding area was equally uninviting, littered with waste and debris. The guard came to an abrupt halt, his arm outstretched as he pointed towards the mansion.
"This is where you belong," he declared, his tone devoid of warmth. "The building is demarcated internally, allowing you to locate your dorm rooms with ease. Have a lovely stay," he added and Without another glance, he turned and departed with haste, leaving the group to ponder their newfound surroundings.
Erick swallowed hard as he stared at the building. He looked utterly disappointed, to say the least. He kept glancing back and forth as though he wanted to run back or perhaps tell the guard he wasn't supposed to be there.
Meanwhile, Otto took the initiative and opened the door to the building, and the rest followed behind him as they made their way in.
[Where are all the bad bitches at?] Void asked, scanning the empty walls with a look of disappointment.
Nadia timidly spoke up, "Maybe, maybe I can do something to make it look slightly better?" The group turned to her with expectation in their eyes.
She began to hum, and the space started to brighten up, but just as she thought she was making progress, everything suddenly blew up, leaving the area in an even more dismal state than before.
Octavius realized that this was what Chief Mage Eriol had meant when he said Nadia had no control.
"Or we could just take on subtle roles and try to clean up to our taste," Otto suggested, still surveying their surroundings. Just then, the door creaked open once more, and the remaining contestants chosen by the other mages after Eriol's departure made their way in.
Ambrose trailed in last, his arrival a stark contrast to the potential that Octavius saw in him. Despite Ambrose's earlier attempt on his life, Octavius genuinely didn't want him to fail, recognizing the latent talent that lay beneath his troubled exterior. Ambrose's downtrodden expression, however, seemed to suggest that he had lost all hope.
"You all get to work, I'll inspect the rooms to see if they need a deeper cleaning and let you all know," Erick said, starting to walk away from the group. Otto suddenly appeared in front of him, his speed allowing him to cover the distance in an instant. "Everyone's hands are on deck, and you're not exempted."
"Get out of my face before I do something that will leave you regretting taking the initiative to confront me," Erick warned.
"Or what?" Otto replied, closing the gap between them to just an inch.
"You use your talent to whispercatch me and scare me?" He asked mockingly. "How about you catch this? You are dumb," Otto whispered.
[I like him,] Void whispered to Octavius, observing the exchange with interest.
Erick's fist hurtled towards Otto with lightning speed, but Otto was even quicker, dodging the attack with an effortless sidestep. However, Erick was a seasoned combatant, and he had anticipated Otto's swift reaction. With a fluid motion, Erick followed up with a powerful kick that whipped Otto off his feet, sending him crashing to the ground.
Before Otto could even attempt to react to what had just happened, Erick pounced, pinning him in a tight headlock that rendered his speed useless. Otto struggled and squirmed, but Erick's grip was unyielding.
After a few tense moments, Erick released Otto, who stumbled backward, gasping for breath. His chest heaved with exertion, and his eyes blazed with a mix of anger and humiliation. Erick, on the other hand, seemed unfazed.
"Do not mess with me," he warned, his gaze sweeping across the others as if daring them to step forward. With that, he turned and sauntered away, leaving Otto to seethe in frustration.
Otto stood up, brushing himself off with a flick of his wrist. "It's not like you can help anyway," he shot at Erick as he went. "Unless you plan to whisper-catch the dirt, to enable you to sweep the shadows clean,"
Erick stood frozen, his jaw clenched in a fierce effort to restrain his temper. For a tense moment, he seemed to be wrestling with his emotions, but eventually, he managed to compose himself. With a deliberate calmness, he continued to make his way upstairs, leaving the others standing in awkward silence.
Void turned to Octavius, a questioning glint in his eye. [Is that our guy?] he asked, nodding towards Erick's retreating back.
Octavius shook his head, his gaze still fixed intently on Erick. "No, but he's going to take me to him."