CHAPTER SEVEN

"These halls may be a bit hard to navigate at first, but you will get used to them in no time." Captain Jagger's tone was friendly and reassuring. He was showing R. to his quarters, something he had been assigned to do, and meanwhile, he showed him around the complex, something he did voluntarily.

"And this is where you will be sleeping." He opened a wooden door with a key numbered #38. He then handed him the key to the door. R. took it and felt it around his fingers. The metal felt cold, but it gave him a warm feeling. He had a place to call his own and someone to look up to. He wondered if he was this lucky before that incident.

"Thank you, Captain."
"Just call me Jagger." He took out a golden pocket watch from inside his uniform. "In about 20 minutes, you should go to the first training room, if you feel up to it. You will receive more information there."
"Of course, Jagger."

After the conversation, he studied the room. His room had a bed, a drawer, a clock, a table and chair and other amenities. it was all very empty but not very dirty. It had been clearly cleaned before he got there.
He let his mind run free in the meantime. Because of his fuzzy past, he thought of his future in the Emperor's coven.

For some reason, that name left a sour aftertaste. Emperor… Coven… That didn't sound right, although he ignored why.
Mindlessly he left the room when the clock told him it was time and he realized he had no idea of where he had to go.

R. looked to his left, then his right and then his left again, but there was no one to be seen. Defeated, he decided to just walk until something happened.

And something did happen; what amazing prediction skills he had.
From a corner appeared another boy around his age, and they both crashed dramatically. The boy had a white cloak like the other guards but his bird mask was different. It was an owl's and it was yellow, quite strange.
Where the mask and the hood of his cloak met, came a wild strand of blond hair, burned at the tip, that moved energetically when he talked.

"Hey! Watch it!"
"Sorry!" They both got up.
"Wait, you are the new guy, right? I heard about you."
"Good things?" R. said, trying not to sound awkward. The boy chuckled.
"I heard about the 'great act of bravery' that got you into the coven." He gave him a stern look. "Saving some mere scouts from some bandits, anyone could do that. You do know people spend years perfecting their craft just to have a chance of getting in, right?"
What a cocky arrogant, R. thought. But if he wanted a snarky remarks battle, he would get one.

"Well, that must surely mean something, no?" The boy was confused for a second. "If the emperor himself chose me along with those high-level, hardworking geniuses you talk about, it must mean I am one myself." He watched his face become angrier by the second as if his presence was an insult to him. He added salt to the wound. "After all, the emperor makes no mistakes."

He had only started but already had the upper hand on this battle.
"What?! Do you really think you're capable of competing at our level? You are going to get crushed here."
"Hm… I thought we would be collaborating since we are all on the same side. Or… are you perhaps hiding something?" He finished, adding some random suspicion for spice.
His face got really red, and he began to stutter. The argument was practically won.

"I- No- That's not what I-... Ugh! What I meant to say is that to be the best in this coven you have to be better than everyone else!" His tone got serious. "You have to work harder, faster, smarter and exert yourself until you have no strength left. And even then, you will get crushed by the stronger ones."

Wow, what a sad boy. Now he was going to feel a bit guilty when he emotionally destroys him.
"Well, you know what they say about-"
"No more talking!" He rudely cut him. "If you want to prove your strength, let's fight at the training arenas. And if you win, which you won't, I'll stop bothering you"

"Fine, let's go."


Hello, I know I kinda left the series on a clifhanger for a long time and I'm sorry... But I am back... Kinda? I will return form my cave in a few weeks.