Chapter Forty-Seven
47
"The Sacred WHAT cards?" Jaden blinked.
"Beasts." said Chancellor Sheppard,"Due to their immense power and colossal might...Mr.- W-Well." he coughed,"Connar's father...had them hidden here."
The gathered guests all gasped and shifted their gaze upon Connar who did her best to avoid all of their eyes. Unlike Chazz and Zane, who didn't really show much reaction at all with their own knowledge.
"Well that explains why Connar is here." said Jaden,"Woah Connie!" "Your dad must be someone super important!"
"It's not just Connar's father who is important, Jaden." said the Chancellor,"Connar herself is also someone of high importance."
"What!?" Jaden blinked,"But how come?" he asked,"I mean don't get me wrong it's not like I doubt her or anything...I'm just curious as to the reason why..."
"Well, Jaden allow me to clarify." said Sheppard as he cleared his throat,"See Connar is not in Slifer Red because she failed her exams...in fact, she's not placed there by the school's zoning at all." he stated,"Connar is in red because she chose to be."
"What!?" everyone gasped once again as both Zane and Chazz scoffed.
"'Bout time that came out in the open." said Chazz as he crossed his arms, "I was getting real tired of always getting the stink eye whenever I tried to say anything!"
"But...why on earth would she choose to be in the lowest rank?" asked Jaden.
"Beats me." Chazz shrugged,"But what's done is done now."
"You see Jaden when it came upon testing for entry into the school, Connar's scores were pretty much perfect." he stated,"In fact she did even better than Bastion Misawa."
"What!?" Bastion gasped,"...better than me?"
"Not only that." said Sheppard,"With Connar's status, she didn't even need to take the entrance exam in the first place, she could have gotten in plain and simple." he stated,"Right into the Blue dorm, which, I might add, is actually Connar's true rank."
"Ah-so then Why!?" Jaden asked as he shot her glance and she reluctantly hid her gaze.
"Now Jaden don't be upset." the Chancellor chuckled,"I'm not allowed to say much else, but much like her father, Connar is actually quite prideful." he chuckled,"She would rather earn things on her own merit." he smiled,"However...she is also quite modest." he smiled softly as he rested his eyes on the two Slifers, "She had become such good friends with you, Little Syrus, and then of course her room mate Norika Satsuna...I'd say she just wanted to be close to those she cherished most...her friends."
"Awwwe~" Jaden grinned with a sheepish smile as he scratched his nose," Thanks Connie~" he grinned, "So...you deliberately chose to start from the bottom and work your way up in order to prove you belong here." he said softly as he looked down, with shoulder's trembling.
"Jaden, I-"
Though he wasnt shaking in sadness or anger. Instead, he was laughing.
"Wow Connar!" he laughed,"I always knew you were great!"
"Oh, Jaden..." she chuckled softly.
He was such a simple soul.
"But...I thought I was the best..." Bastion pondered to himself.
"Ahh quit whining!" said Chazz,"There's no rule that states there can't be two bests!" he huffed,"Back in Duel prep School, we had a 'best female' AND a 'best male'!" he stated,"Connar was the female."
"So then who was the male?" Jaden asked.
"Yours truly!" Chazz grinned.
A silence fell between the group and everyone eventually had their own snickers to share.
"It's true!" he huffed.
"Indeed." Chancellor Sheppard chuckled,"And I'm afraid it it is Connar's hidden greatness that we may need to rely on in the events to come."
"What do you mean?" Jaden asked.
"What I mean is, this Academy was built in part to protect those Sacred Beast card." said the Chancellor,"They were buried deep under the ground beneath us,with their powers sealed away." he stated,"Legend says if these cards ever see the light of day, terrible things will happen."
"Like what?" Jaden asked.
"Buildings will crumble...light will fade...souls will fall!" Sheppard said,"Our world will be no more..."
"...No more?" Bastion let out a soft breath following Alexis's gulp.
"So where are these cards?" Jaden asked pridefully with hands on his hips," I say we take them for a spin!"
"Were you not listening!?" Crowler huffed.
"This is why I have gathered you all here." stated Sheppard,"To protect these cards from the wicked ones that seek them."
"The wicked ones?" Zane questioned.
"That's right." said Chancellor,"There are duelists known as The Shadow Riders, who covet these cards." he stated,"And one of them is already here."
Connar gasped softly.
"He arrived in the thick of last night's storm."
Last night's storm!
Connar gasped.
That must have been why I felt my energy drained...
"So how are we supposed to protect these cards?" Alexis asked with rightful curiosity.
"By protecting the spirit gates." The Chancellor stated,"To get to these cards those gates must be unlocked by the keys that serve each one." he sighed,"So to protect the cards...we will protect the keys."
"But if we hold the keys, we'll be targets, won't we?"
"That's true." Sheppard blinked,"By holding these keys, the Shadow Riders will seek you out."
"Seek us out!?" Chazz huffed,"More like take us out!"
"Maybe so." Sheppard sighed,"But only if you lose in a duel." he said as he folded his hands,"Fortunately for us, these keys can't simply be stolen...only won." he sighed once more and leaned back,"However this doesn't make it any less dangerous...if you wish to back out, I understand." he said,"After all...these Shadow Riders play for keeps." he blinked and held his gaze on the silent Connar Rose,"As for you, Connar...you will not be taking a key." he stated.
"What?" Connar blinked.
"No...I'm afraid my role for you here...is quite different."
XXXXX
"You can't be seriously considering this, Connar!?"
Eversince Connar was released from the Chancellor, Norika had not ceased to share her mind once the pinkette finally made her way back home and filled her in after the red had had been bluntly turned away upon arrival.
"You're really going to go back to that dorm!?"
"The Chancellor said that it was highly possible the Shadows began to move when I made contact with that Dorm." she stated."He said that he noticed strange things ever since I returned, not only with this, but with my own behavior as well."
"Well Yeah, Even I noticed that!" huffed Norika, "Which is exactly why I say you SHOULDN'T go back!"
"I'm afraid I agree with your friend here, Ms. Connar." Kaibaman had stated, invisible to Norika's eyes and silent to her ears, "Should that not be a reason why you must avoid that place!?"
Connar huffed a sigh as she closed her eyes and thought back to the conversation she had alone with the Chancellor after everyone had accepted their keys and thus sealed their fate.
XXXXX
"Now that we are alone, Connar, there are matters with you I must discuss." said the older gentleman as he seated himself into his chair.
"What is it, Chancellor?" she blinked. The sudden heavy aura she was feeling in his presence now, was certainly not very comforting.
"Connar...I didn't give you a key because I feel the risk of it was much too high." he stated,"I know you are a strong duelist, your reputation proceeds you even today. But...you are also my boss's daughter." he said.
"Yeah...I imagine making me a target wouldn't go over well with 'Daddy Dearest'..." she chuckled awkwardly,"Even if it were my choice." she blinked, "In fact...being my choice would probably make him even more mad."
"Even with that."he stated calmly,"There's still something you could do."
"And what's that, Chancellor?" She blinked.
"Connar...I know about your connection with the spirits." he said firmly, and her eyes went wide.
"You have unique abilities, Connar, and with your consent, I plan to use them." he stated,"See, I began to notice strange things ever since your unconscious body was returned to us from the Abandoned Dorm." he said,"I know your father doesn't dare speak much of any such things." he blinked,"But this unique ability of yours may prove more useful to us than you think."he sighed,"I've noticed your change in behavior...how you seem more tired these days."he blinked,"I think that all may tie into all of this."
"...You think so?" she asked.
Truth of the matter is that somehow, I fewl this too.
"With your strong connection to the spirits Connar, and the light and darkness that comes with them...I think that The Shadow Riders may target you too...with or without a key." he said,"Though I think it is more like your soul that will draw them in."
"So what should I do?"
"Use it." he stated,"Tap into these abilities of yours somehow...if you can, you might even be able to use that power to seek them out and sense them...before they get us."
XXXXX
Not a lot of it made sense to Connar. But one thing did.
Now...she was full of questions. Questions that needed answers. And while she did not have these answers...she had a feeling that there was someone waiting for her at the Abandoned Dorm... who just might.
To Be Continued