MaeveMcCarthy
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Chapter 89 – Schools
🕑 Added 2024-10-23 18:30:01 +0000 UTCTakai sat nervously in the principal’s office.
He was fidgeting and couldn’t really find a place where to put his hands.
Being in the Spire, even with the levels he had gained while in Placid City and on the other missions he had undertaken before the end of the school year, was still unnerving.
The pressure of the raw Mana in the air made him physically ill.
The principal sat behind his heavy, imposing desk, recording something with a quill in a large journal. After a few minutes where the only sound was the scratching of the quill on the thick paper, Elder Kaimana blew on the words to make them dry and raised his head.
“Young Takai,” Principal Kaimana said, “how’s your progress with the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique?”
“Sir, I am still stuck at the first level,” Takai replied.
The principal sighed, turning his head toward the window behind him. They both looked at the giant wall made of glass and stayed silent.
After a moment, Principal Kaimana turned back toward him. “Your sister has been transferred back to the academy, you know.”
“I know, sir,” Takai replied, lowering his head.
“You risked your own life to save the young Moana chosen,” Principal Kaimana said. “You didn’t hesitate even though it was your sister that you had to fight.”
He leaned forward, his expression serious. “I’ve already explained to you how you managed to unlock the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique, but we will be picking up lessons, young man. There’s darkness looming large over the Great Archipelago.”
Takai nodded. When he had come back from Placid City, Principal Kaimana had explained to him that he hadn’t lied about the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique. He had only omitted one thing about how it really worked. To master it, even at its first level, one needed a pure heart. That was a real requirement. But the assessment test Principal Kaimana had explained failed everyone because the real requirement would be to risk one’s life for a just cause.
The principal admitted that he didn’t know how the Skill could discern between bad and good or just and unjust. But he knew that if he had told Takai about this distinction, he would have never been able to master the technique.
Principal Kaimana had also said that Awa, the Sword Demon, had been obsessed with finding a way to master the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique, but that he never understood what was really required from him by such a Skill.
“Young Takai,” Principal Kaimana said, his voice clear. “Do you know why the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique destroys your secondary Affinities, severs them from your body?”
Takai had listened to several lessons from the man, but that wasn’t really an aspect they had discussed. He shook his head.
“To truly cut everything,” Principal Kaimana said, “you need a neutral energy. The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique uses the Primary Mana Channel, unlike most Skills. You can think of it as Mana Board, which you have mastered months ago. The reason is that all magic in the Great Archipelago is based on Water, and therefore, the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique can cut through everything. Even through Raw Mana and scary Affinities like Dark Water.”
Takai nodded. He had heard from Professor Iakopo what Talia had done with Dark Water, how she had saved all the students who had been trapped in the Placid Cave by his father. Professor Iakopo explained to the students that the only reason they were alive was because of her. Takai knew that the man was also hiding something else about Talia, but he was waiting for his friend to wake up so they could ask personally about it.
“Principal,” Takai asked, “may I ask about the pain I experienced the first time I used the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique? I don’t understand. I felt like I was being cut into pieces from the inside.”
Principal Kaimana nodded. “The pain is very real, and it comes from actual damage that the technique causes to your body. However, it’s not the kind of damage most might think of. The technique destroys all the channels that are used by your secondary Affinities and remolds them, fusing them into your Primary Mana Channel, which is why you have experienced a jump in levels.”
It was true. Takai’s Primary Mana Channel had gone from level 5 to level 8 overnight.
“Normally,” Principal Kaimana started, “Mana flows through veins and divides itself into subchannels based on Affinities. Affinities are none other than sets of veins that branch from your Primary Mana Channel where you can generate a different type of Mana. The Heavenly Heart Rending Technique requires a huge volume of Mana to circulate through your system, and that’s one of the reasons you cannot have secondary Affinities.”
“So the technique doesn’t actually tear the body apart,” Takai mused.
“Not physically, no,” Principal Kaimana replied. “It does place immense strain on the body’s Mana channels. For most people, the pain alone would render them unconscious or even kill them from shock. I suspect that whenever the Skill doesn’t consider someone worthy, it tears them apart starting from their Mana channels.”
He leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “It’s been hypothesized in the past that those who turn to darkness have physical changes inside their Mana channels similar to accumulating impurities in an ore vein. And if the remolding process of the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique meets such impurities, what happens is that everything crumbles to pieces and gets torn apart.”
He fixed Takai with an intense stare. “The fact that you remained conscious and were able to use the expanded channels to defeat your sister is extraordinary. I passed out and was out for almost a month the first time I used the technique,” Principal Kaimana admitted.
“Really?” Takai asked, surprised.
“Most of my peers,” the principal said, “the other elders, love to think that the youth can never surpass them. But I can see, young Takai, that it’s just a matter of time before you master all four stages of the Heavenly Heart Rending Technique. I was only ever able to reach the third, but I trust you will do better.”
Takai looked at the principal stunned, but he didn’t object. What happened in Placid City had proved to Takai that despite his lack of confidence, he had the chops to one day become a great warrior, and he had decided to stop denying it to himself.
“I’ve received news that your friend just woke up,” Principal Kaimana said after a moment.
Takai’s eyes went wide, and he immediately shot up from the chair. “Talia?” he asked.
“Yes,” Principal Kaimana said. “Go, young Takai. We’ll talk more later.”
*
Six Months Prior
Fiora was slowly regaining consciousness.
She had been unconscious for a week, her body battered and drained from her fierce battle with Apikalia.
The first thing Fiora became aware of was pain.
It seemed to radiate from every part of her body, a dull, throbbing ache that made even the slightest movement agony.
She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt impossibly heavy.
With a monumental effort, Fiora finally managed to crack her eyes open.
The world around her was a blur of white and gray.
She blinked several times, trying to bring things into focus.
As her vision cleared, she found herself staring at a plain white ceiling.
Turning her head slightly, she saw a hazy figure.
"You're awake," a familiar voice said softly.
Fiora turned her head to the other side and saw Takai sitting in a chair next to the bed.
He looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes, and all bandaged up, but he managed a small smile.
"How..." Fiora tried to speak, but her throat was dry and her voice came out as a croak.
Takai quickly reached for a glass of water on the bedside table.
He helped Fiora take a few small sips through a straw.
"How long?" Fiora managed to ask after moistening her throat.
"A week," Takai replied. "You've been unconscious for a week. The healers weren't sure when you'd wake up. Apparently there was a lot of poison in your body."
Fiora's eyes widened in surprise.
A week?
It felt like only moments had passed since her battle with Apikalia in the cavern.
"What happened?" she asked. "After I passed out, I mean."
Takai cringed.
"Talia managed to hold off the Mutated Torpedo Snappers long enough for the rest of us to escape. Professor Iakopo defeated the Sword Demon after we left the cave—it all collapsed after he used Space Water, except for the hall he found in."
Fiora tried to process this information, but her mind felt sluggish.
Before she could ask anything else, the door to the room opened.
A healer in white robes entered, her face lighting up when she saw Fiora was awake.
"Ah, good to see you're back with us," the healer said. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got run over by a herd of sea cows," Fiora groaned.
The healer nodded.
"That's to be expected. You took quite a beating. But you're healing well. Another day or two of rest and you should be able to leave the infirmary."
As the healer began checking Fiora's vitals, Takai stood up.
"I should go let the others know you're awake," he said.
“The others?” Fiora frowned.
“Professor Iakopo told the rest of the students that you killed a Cultist and most likely allowed Talia to reach the rest of them. You’re a hero, Fiora.”
“I—” Fiora didn’t know how to respond.
"They've all been worried sick," Takai smiled. “Expect a lot of them visiting you.”
Fiora felt a surge of warmth at the thought of her classmates being concerned for her.
“Wait,” Fiora said, groaning in pain as she strained to move forward, “
It was a strange feeling, being cared about by people she had once seen as rivals or obstacles.
"Thanks," she said softly. "For staying with me."
Takai gave her another small smile before leaving the room.
As the door closed behind him, with the healer in tow, Fiora let out a long breath.
She had survived, against all odds.
The next day, Fiora was feeling well enough to sit up in bed and eat solid food.
Her body still ached, but the pain was more manageable now.
She had just finished a light lunch when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," she called out, expecting to see Takai or one of the healers.
To her surprise, it was Agalei who entered the room.
The auburn-haired girl looked nervous, wringing her hands as she approached the bed.
"Hi Fiora," Agalei said softly. "I'm glad you're awake."
Fiora smiled at her, sensinsing, however, that something was wrong.
"Hey, thanks," Fiora replied, trying to keep her voice stead. "Is everything okay? You don’t look good."
Agalei bit her lip, looking down at her feet.
"Something… something happened last night. Something bad."
Fiora felt a chill run down her spine.
"What do you mean? What happened?"
"One of the guys from Elder Kawena's group," Agalei said, her voice trembling slightly. "He... he tried to force himself on me."
Fiora's hands clenched into fists, ignoring the pain that shot through her still-healing body.
"What?" she hissed. "Who was it?"
Agalei shook her head.
"It doesn't matter. I ran before... before anything really happened.”
As Agalei spoke, Fiora felt a rage building inside her.
It was a cold, terrible anger, different from the hot flashes of temper she was used to.
This was something deeper, more dangerous.
"Where are they now?" Fiora asked, her voice low and tight.
Agalei looked up, alarmed by Fiora's tone.
"What?"
"Kaia and the others," Fiora clarified. "Where are they?"
"I... I think they're in one of the common areas," Agalei said hesitantly. "But Fiora, you shouldn't-"
Fiora was already moving, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
Pain lanced through her body, but she ignored it, forcing herself to stand.
"Fiora, stop!" Agalei pleaded. "You're not well enough to be up!"
It’s my fault, Fiora realized. I should have listened to Talia. I didn’t and I didn’t have time to warn Agalei.
But Fiora wasn't listening.
She stumbled to the closet where her clothes were stored, pulling out a simple tunic and pants.
“You can’t move!” Agalei shouted at her. “Stop!”
"Go tell a healer," she told Agalei as she started changing. "Tell them I've gone crazy or something. Just... just stay out of my way."
Fiora finished dressing quickly, ignoring the protesting aches of her body. Then, with grim fury, she left the infirmary.
She made her way through the Academy hall. A few students gave her surprised looks and tried complimenting her as she passed, but she didn’t stop for no one.
Finally, she reached one of the main common areas.
Through the large windows, she could see a group of students lounging on the grass outside.
Among them were Kaia and several others she recognized from Elder Kawena's group.
Fiora pushed open the doors, stepping out into the warm sunlight.
As she approached the group, she saw Kaia's eyes widen in recognition and surprise.
"Fiora?" Kaia said, standing up. "What are you doing out of the infirmary?"
Fiora didn't respond.
Instead, she raised her hands, calling on her Sunwater.
Golden stars began to form on the ceiling, growing larger and brighter with each passing second.
Fiora had heard enough from Agalei to know not to spare one bit of sympathy for these monsters. Even if she ended up in jail, she was ready to clean up the house.
The other students scrambled to their feet, sensing the danger.
Kaia's expression hardened as she realized Fiora's intent.
"You don't want to do this," Kaia warned in a low, her own hands beginning to glow with gathering mana.
"You're right," Fiora said coldly. "I don't want to do this. I have to do this."
With that, she activated [Sunbeam Strike].
She had gained levels and had become much stronger than the last time they had met, which meant Fiora was confident she’d kill Kaia and her goons without any trouble.
Unlike them, she had gone through a baptism of fire, with several life-and-death situations that had profoundly changed her.
Sunwater orbs flew towards Kaia and the others, exploding in brilliant flashes of light and heat.
But then, before the multitude of projectiles could kill the disgusting monsters in front of her, a large aura swept over the room and tore apart her spell.
"That's enough," Fiora heard a womanly voice. "This isn't the way."
“Who—” Fiora turned to see a woman she didn’t recognize. But then, Kaia cleared the doubts for her.
“Lady Naia! Fiora just tried to attack us and kill us! She must be taken away and—”
“Silence, foolish child,” Lady Naia said with a disgusted expression while looking in their direction. “I have gathered enough evidence for Principal Kaimana. You and your friends might want to go beg your families right now, children. You will need their protection once the Academy decides to prosecute you for what you did.”
“Wait, what?” Fiora looked with wide eyes at the woman.
Lady Naia? Isn’t that the head of a School? Principal’s Kaimana’s assistant?
Fiora tried to shake off Naia's grip, but found she couldn't.
"You don't understand," Fiora growled. "They deserve this. After what they did to me, to Agalei..."
"I understand more than you know," Naia replied. "But this isn't justice. They will be dealt with by the rules, Fiora Solara."
As the adrenaline began to fade, Fiora felt the pain of her injuries returning full force.
She sagged, suddenly exhausted.
Naia caught her before she could fall, supporting her weight easily.
"Come on," she said gently. "Let's get you back to the infirmary. We have a lot to talk about. In fact, I have an open spot in my School for such an outstanding student like you."
As Naia led her away, Fiora caught one last glimpse of Kaia and the others.
But more than that, they looked afraid.
Good, Fiora thought. They should be afraid. I’m not done with them.
Comments
Zach
They were setting her up with the waterfall test, and eventually were going to tell her she needed to trade sex for entry to their school.
CBA2233
Did I miss something? What did they do to Fiora?
