Class Of Heroes 2: A Demon King Arises
The Story so far...
One of the most mysterious places since the dawn of this world is the Labyrinth, a maze-like area packedith death and monsters. Occasionally, they grant those who dare enter them the oppurtunity them the opportunity for wealth and fame, but mostly they deal death. Sad, awful, lonely, ignominous death.
Death in these labyrinths can come in many forms. Poison water, electrified walls, confusion panels, monsters, black passages where light cannot pentrate and even exceptional hearing cannot help - failure is the status quo given the challenges.
Those that bravet these mysterious places are called Adventurers, and as one might expect given the long odds, they are in increasingly short supply - or rather they were. Schools have been created with the express purpose of cultivating the best of the best to replenish their ranks with the bravest and brightest.
This year, another bright and energetic group of youths will walk through the doors of those schools, learning the tools of the trade, the art of the blade, and skills or magic that will enable them to graduate as the next Class of Heroes.
Chapter 1: An Unlikely Friend
Crostini Academy: Front Entrance
Standing at the entrance of the doors to Crostini Academy were students of all races. The academy itself was enormous, pillars and walls of marble almost gleamed in the sunlight. Small fields of grass were scattered around the courtyard and were dotted with trees. Among the group of students one girl expressed herself.
"I can hardly belive I'm here..." she said gazing at the doors of the academy. She stood at least 5 ft tall, and had bright orange hair and brown eyes.
"A whole new start. My exciting campus life begins now!" She sang in excitement. Some other students near her chuckled, this made her blush in embarrasment. Elsewhere in the crowd a lone diablos watched as she talked with many of the students. He had short purple hair, red eyes, ash grey horns, and pale skin common to diablos. The diablos race was largely avoided by all other races, mostly because of their blood relations to the demons of old. The curses that followed them were also an additional factor. What was strange with this particular diablos was that even his own race was avoiding him. Any other diablos that looked at him sneered and turned away. He was leaning against a tree occasionally letting out a small chuckle every so often. To most of the other student body he probably looked insane.
1st P.O.V. Marcus
I watched as the others intermingled with each other. Most of the others got along with the present races. Fairies flitted from place to place, occasionally stopping to chat with a human or gnome. The humans had diversified themselves in their occupations (this was only possible thanks to their balanced nature)
and their groups. Dwarfs had avoided all contact with elves and vice versa. The Bahamuns (well those who acted all high and mighty about their lineage) were mostly talking with each other. Celestians were avoiding groups with diablos, who were doing the same. The Felpur were being shy around the other races.
The Khulaz were being as sociable as possible. The Gnomes associated with everyone and were the only ones who joined any groups that had diablos in them.
"Hmmm... she's probably planning for her next three boyfriends," an ethereal voice said from my left shoulder, "he's thinking about his girlfriend and what he wants to do to her," he continued,"Oooh! She wants to quietly get rid of her boyfriend the cheating bastard!" He finished cackling with glee. Trying to keep a straight face while laughing on the inside for most people is not easy. I however can do it easily because of my mask and the fact that I have learned to suppress my emotions.
Clarion, my first spirit contract and only friend, flitted to my other shoulder trying to find other students to talk about no doubt. "Clarion are you ever going to make a nice thought about anybody?" I asked knowing all to well the answer. "Only you Marcus." he said "Provided something good happens to you." He finished the back of his spirit form to me. "Geez at least make a nice one about someone." I replied. His next reply caught me completely off guard.
"Alright then this girl wants to be your friend." He said his voice as monotone as possible.
Not believing him I looked in his direction and sure enough standing there was a female celestian with hair that was unusual. It was a combination of purple and pink and somehow looked like it had stars in it as well. Blinking once, twice and thrice to make sure she was there, I jumped away from the tree in surprise startled by how close she was without me realizing she was there. "Who are you?" I asked cautiously. "It's impolite to ask for someone's name without giving your own name first." she said. She had me there and if there was one thing I did not like it was being impolite. "I'm Marcus" I said. "and you are?" I continued.
She smiled, bowed and said "My name's Sora." Before we could continue our conversation the front doors to the academy opened and a woman stepped out and said, "All student's "Please follow me." Everyone gathered into small groups and followed her into the academy. After leading us through a series of hallways we arrived at the gymnasium. The gym was far from empty as other students were already seated at tables in the building. The stand at the front of the gym was where the teachers were seated. As the new students seated themselves with their respective groups an elf with white hair and glasses stepped out onto the stage and took the head of the table.
"Ah, yes, well, now, hrmpfhhh..." he said clearing his throat for the oncoming speech. "My dear freshman! Welcome to Crostini Academy!" he shouted to the crowd of students. "I am Prinicipal Vacherin. And yes I know what you're thinking...but I'm more spry than I look!" he continued earning a small laugh from the crowd and the teachers. "And despite my age, I have the heart of an adventurer, and the experience to match. So please afford me a few moments to tell you about our fine establishments." this was met with silence "This is a place of learning for adventurers, a place to learn how to safely explore the labyrinths, well as safely as possible, every adventure comes with unique dangers... But what you learn here will help you avoid the pitfalls and illuminate a path to success!"
"You will work toward that day when you'll become splendid adventurers in your own right." These went without saying as everybody knew the dangers of the labyrinths.
Either they had learned through their parents or had heard stories somewhere in their home country, from traveling bards and such. But I digress, so back to the speech. "And that's it. Speech over." the principle said. However he did add "Also if any students have finished sorting out their groups please stop by the Office and register please, once you have done that, head to your assigned homerooms and meet your teacher's. Also student's who have not found groups will also need to register so please stop by the office. Once you have done that, head to your assigned homerooms and meet your teacher's. Let's get this new year of campus life off to a smooth, successful start!" and with that the principal finished his speech.
After that one of the teachers took the stand, a male diablos with vibrant red hair. "Before you leave I have one announcement to make" he said "the gymnasium has been set up, for today, to allow the students to intermingle, so behave and treat your fellows as equals, we don't have the luxury of discrimination here." he finished. With that the students began to co-mingle only avoiding races they knew they wouldn't get along with.
I however stayed in the shadows, the only ones who would notice were any student's who had trained as ninja before enrolling in the academy. Pulling out my mag-i-pod I turned it to one of my favorite relaxation songs. I looked into the crowd for the unmistakable sight of her hair. Sure enough she was easy to find, and she was talking with a felpur and a dwarf, both were evidently female and both were obviously samurai. Knowing full well no one would even so much as look my way I turned towards the doors of the gym.
In all honesty I expected this school to be like all the others, judgemental, and predjudiced. What I didn't know at the time was that I would gain not only true friends at this academy, but maybe, just maybe I would also find love here as well.