Hey guys... after almost a year I didn't continue this story, I finally got the chance to continue it. I'm sorry to keep you guys waiting so long that almost a year has passed.

One year in not a short time. So, it doesn't rule out the possibility, if there are any of your memories about its storyline, plot, and characters that has faded. It is advisable to read it from the beginning, to refresh your memories again. However, if you have a strong memory, well... here is the first chapter of Second Arc...

Happy reading...

Chapter 18 : Implied Message

"Congratulations to both of you, Blu and Jewel. You are selected as 'Mukon'... the participants of the Great Festival."

Surprised and unable to understand what Kosun had said, Blu and Jewel only looked at each other's confused faces. They don't know what the meaning of 'Mukon' is, but they know the meaning of this Great Festival.

With a halting and rather irritated tone, Blu said, "Wait, wait, wait... let me straighten it out. After we did this stupid game, and won it, you suddenly told us that we were participants? We really don't know anything about, ah... Muken, Mukon or whatever it is, but we do understand what a festival mean is... you can't arbitrarily appoint us as participants."

"No ... you are the best participant." Kosun answered with a smile, "Agility, courage, intelligence, flexibility, strength ... it is all needed in this Festival."

"But still, you can't arbitrarily appoint someone. Isn't there still a lot of better students than us?" denied Blu.

"Yes, maybe. But, you two are the best of them." Kosun answered casually replying to Blu's rebuttal.

Blu just paused after hearing the answer, then sighed...

"Come on, do you think I don't know what you have done?" Kosun then continued his words, smiling broadly as if he had won this small debate, "At the start of the game... I did say to take the flag as soon as possible. But I didn't say that you have to go through the stairs, did I? So, you can go through an elevator that is easier, but it's slower than running up the stairs, and that action only shows that you are no more than two lazy birds. Hence, the next choice is..." while explaining, he pointed his finger at the gondolas,"Jumping through the gondolas. Am I right?"

Blu and Jewel could say nothing but respond with surprised faces and amazement. They never thought that their tactics will be revealed easily by a sangria bird.

"In that way... I unhesitatingly appoint you two as participants in the Great Festival this year. You have shown that you are worthy." Kosun continued,"I Kosun acknowledges the greatness of the two of you."

Blu is still silent, and just looks at him with a doubtful look...

But...

"That sounds interesting." Jewel said, grinning, "We accept it...! We will take part in the Great Festival! " she exclaimed confidently,"What do you say, Blu?" she, then, looked at him.

However, his face looked tense and gloomy, "No, Jewel! Not this time! I don't want us to get more involved in the matters of this planet!" he answered, snapping her a little.

"What? What do you mean?" asked Jewel, somewhat surprised by his actions just now.

"I..." Blu said, then staring at Kosun who looked confused by the current situation, "I... I don't know..."

Jewel just stared at Blu's face who looked really confused...

"I'm sorry, Jewel..." Blu continued, whispering to her. Then he walked down the stairs, leaving Jewel alone with Kosun.

"Wow... what's wrong with him?" asked Kosun after Blu left, not expecting this to happen.

Jewel just stared at Blu who walked away...

"So, you want to join this festival?" continued Kosun with his request.

"I don't know... just, let us think about this." Jewel replied after losing her enthusiasm earlier, because of Blu's unexpected response. She, then, walked down the stairs leaving Kosun alone on the roof.

'This planet... eh?' murmured Kosun to himself, after his two potential Mukons had left the roof.

A few moments later, a welcoming ceremony was held by the new principal to replace the old one who was now serving his sentence. A principal who still looks young, but the impression on his face shows his cold attitude. All the remaining students, lined up neatly in the main hall on the first floor. They all stared at their cold-as-snow principal. His red eyes watched all his students sharply. With clothes like a black robe covering his ash feathers, he went up to the podium and began his speech which would soon surprise all of Guivick School's residents...

"Pruzah feyl, dii prustiik...! (Good morning, my students...!)" his firm and heavy voice echoed in the hall which was too big for the remaining 400 students. He greeted his students in foreign languages... maybe not for people on this planet, but...

'What did he actually say?' Blu, who isn't native on this planet, whispers to himself in the line.

'Prayzah what?' as well as Jewel, who marched across from Blu, was equally confused.

"As you know, I'm your new headmaster. Your new Kinbok." In a way of speaking like a military commander, he managed to attract the attention of all students," My name is Cyrelas Ganllon."

All students just fell silent hearing the loud voice of their new principal...

"Guivick School was once a Spaal that was very proud and praised on the southern continent. Its glory has spread to Ozinmith, even to the whole world. It had thousands of great students, and was able to accommodate thousands of them." The principal continued, who called himself Cyrelas Ganllon.

'Spaal? Ozinmith?' Jewel's face certainly showed her confusion after hearing these strange words. She could only ask herself, and turned to Blu who was standing in a row far away from her... he also seemed confused.

"Yo..."

A pat on Jewel's shoulders surprised her, because maybe when she was staring at Blu from a distance, she thought too much about his words when on the school roof. She then looked at the culprit who had patted her shoulder...

"Oh sorry... I didn't mean to surprise you." apparently the culprit stood right next to her, she smiled while apologizing. She is a female bird of the same age as Jewel, maybe she is one Floor with her. Her curved beak whispered when talking to Jewel. Her Indigo feather seems to blend with the color of the floor of this hall.

"Don't think about it..." Jewel answered, whispering.

"Spaal means a Shelter, and Ozinmith is a continent that is exactly at zero degrees longitude, or in other word... it is at the center of Lyonesse." the female bird goes straight to the conversation points.

Jewel was silent... she never thought the girl standing next to her was able to know what was in her mind.

"Spaal is a word that is often used by us... people of the southern continent." the female bird began to explain,"Although there are many names for the zero degrees continent, we tend to call it Ozinmith."

"How did you know?" asked Jewel, still surprised by her amazingly precise analysis.

"You must be Jewel, right? A transfer student who managed to beat Kosun in his very own game." the female bird continued,"What's more, you are an Outlander. So that strengthens my hypothesis. Because the southern continent is the lowest continent among other continents, rarely knows our language."

"I see..." Jewel response in brief, then she muttered to herself, 'A lowest continent, eh...'

"But that's not all, right? What weighs on your mind?" asked the female bird once more,"Your face immediately depicts confusion and sadness when looking at him." she then looked at someone she meant...

'Him...?' said Jewel to herself, then she realized that what she meant was Blu...

"Haah... the relationship between lovers is indeed very complicated..." continued the female bird, calmly.

"What? No, no, no... we're not lovers. We're just friends." Jewel answered nervously.

"Oh... that means my guess is wrong. But still, you seem to be thinking about something."

"Well, this is indeed complicated..."

Then...

"Can you stop asking about someone's personal matters, Rebecca?" a flat girl's voice came from behind the female bird known as Rebecca, "The principal is still speaking now... shut up and pay attention...!" the bespectacled and cream bird, staring coldly at Rebecca.

"Shut your beak up, Tsana...! You also don't listen to the speech... you are reading a book." she turned to stare at the bespectacled bird named Tsana.

"That's because I don't like him?" Tsana answered flatly while reading her book.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Rebecca frowned, not understanding what she meant.

"That new principal... his cold face, his demeaning gaze, and his voice that shook the fear among the students." Tsana continued explaining the meaning of her words, "He is up to something..."

"Come on, Tsana... you can't think negatively to someone in your first time meeting with him." Rebecca replied casually... until the principal's speech they were talking about, said something that surprised all students...

"But all that glory has now been ruined by your old Kinbok. That glory means nothing to you. You are now nothing more than exile kids in this shelter without giving any benefit at all. Your number has decreased by almost 75 percent, so are the school buildings that you are proud of."

"Okay... I think positively if he does plan something." Rebecca gave her comment, after listening to the principal's cold words.

"We all stand in a building that is nothing more than a cube. You should thank me for coming all the way from the western continent just to be your Kinbok and help you set up your school... your Hahsok from scratch." the principal began to boast,"Though, I doubt the southern continent like you can make progress like other continents."

"What did he say?"

"Did he underestimate us?"

"He demeans the southern continent...!"

"Why did they call a principal from another continent?"

"That cold face makes me sick...!"

Of course, the students who heard it became rowdy. Trying to ignore his words, but their pride was hurt for being trampled by him.

'Great... someone annoying comes again.' Jewel whispered to herself, staring sharply at the principal.

'What does he want?' Blu also wondered to himself, looking suspiciously at him.

"The number of high-ranking criminals, old facilities, slavery, poor quality students... I feel like I am serving a punishment when I am being assigned here."

'Why don't the teachers reprimand him?' Blu once again whispered to himself, staring at the line of teachers beside the podium. They just lowered their faces, as if they were afraid of that new principal.

"There is only one rule that I apply at this Spaal... obedient and submissive to me, then you will be able to survive here." the new principal finally ended his speech that pierced the students who were listening to.

There were no comments... nothing. All the students just fell silent staring at the principal, who were walking down from the podium, with a look of hatred. Then, another male bird, with fern-like feathers walking up to the podium afterwards. His face smiles, looks friendly, but also... gives the impression of a cunning character.

"Dii faan los, Ferner. (My name is Ferner.) Is it right what am I saying? I really like this southern continent local language, sounds cool to me. Hahaha..." he began talking to the students and laughed, though no one responded to his jokes. He, then, explained his position in this school, "I am your new vice principal. As Mr. Ganllon has said, it is true that the southern continent is still far behind compared to the other continents. The worst, and the most disgusting continent..."

The students are getting rowdy again... commenting on the new vice principal's speech that is just as bad as him...

"Nuz, Zu'u lokaal niil reyliik-hil. Reyliik-hil ko stumuv ozinkrel los tul rinik vopraan. Pogaan historic staad los rund het, nol kruziik vuuk wah daar voth vortiilok suleyk." in the middle of the vice principal's speech, he briefly glanced at his superior who was staring at him with a cold look, "So, don't think too much about what the principal has said to you. His words are sometimes like that."

The principal who was standing next to the podium with the other teachers, gave a head movement, hinting his subordinates to finish his speech...

"Well, I guess that's it. I thank all of you for welcoming us kindly and warmly here. I hope you can cooperate with us, or maybe... hi laan wah kos ster tir do daar hahsok?" the vice principal gave his cunning smile -as if hiding something- before getting off the podium.

"Hey... do you know what he just said?" Jewel looked at Rebecca, unfortunately she couldn't answer, as if she was surprised by what the vice principal had just said.

'That principal with his subordinate seem to be planning something. Damn it, I don't understand the language he used...!' meanwhile, Blu who was a little away from Jewel also looked suspicious, he was thinking too much about what those two new rulers had said. So that he was not aware of his surroundings, until a male bird standing beside him surprised him by calling him...

"Yo... Yun sos." he has a beak that is identical to his, only his feathers are Oyster.

"Yun sos?" Blu certainly feels unfamiliar with that word.

"Ah... I'm sorry. You don't understand our language yet, eh...? Yun sos means new-blood. You're a new bird that has defeated Kosun, aren't you? The news of Kosun's defeat has spread to all the residents of this school, you know." the Oyster bird explained enthusiastically.

"Uh... I'm sorry, but... who are you?" Blu's face still illustrates confusion.

"Oh... pardon me. My name is Khuren Harorn, but you may call me Horn. I believe we've met before, for I'm your classmate, Blu." the Oyster bird introduced himself.

"Is that true? I can't seem to remember that, hahaha..." Blu can only answer while interspersed with awkward laughter.

"As I expected, my presence-aura is thin... even my classmates have no one to recognize me..." Harorn's spirit suddenly turned gloomy, when he realized something sad for him.

"No, no, no... I didn't mean to say like that." Blu, in this awkward moment, tried to calm his new friend who seemed to have a very rapid emotional change.

"It's okay... I used to live like this..." Harorn answered, still lowering his gloomy face.

"Haah..." Blu gave up, and could only breathe deeply. He silently looked at his 'strange' friend who still looked gloomy, then he remembered something about the vice principal's words,"Oh yes, Horn. Was that local language the vice principal used?

Harorn then lifted his face slowly, staring at Blu's serious face, "Yes..."

"Then, do you know what he said?"

"I do know, for we have been taught that language since childhood."

"What did he say? Why did all the students look shocked after he said that?"

"Well, it's about historical sites, and ancient things that are said to have extraordinary powers."

"I see..." Blu finally understood something, "Are there things like that?"

"I don't know... but according to our ancestors' beliefs, they only brought curses and calamities." Harorn, who was staring at Blu's confused face, then smiled casually again, "Don't think about it too much. Things like that are just myths... just relax."

Blu returned his smile, "You're right..."

"Oh and one more thing... he said he would kick the students who opposed him."

"Okay... that's quite worrying."

Blu then said to himself, making assumptions from things that have happened lately, 'Don't say if they came here to look for Pieces of Teho?'

Moments passed after the end of the greeting-speech from the two new rulers at Guivick School. The welcoming ceremony was closed by an elder teacher,"Thank you to all students who have attended this welcoming ceremony in an orderly manner. After this, you may resume your activities as usual."

Then...

"Finally, this boring ceremony is over." Harorn raised his wings upward, stretching his stiff body after an hour of standing still.

Meanwhile...

"Ended, huh..." Tsana who was standing near Jewel, closed her book.

"Finally, it's done..." Rebecce moved her talons one by one, "It feels like my talons are cramped."

"Mine too..." Jewel responded, doing exact the same thing as she did.

However, It's not over yet for Blu and Jewel... because after this the elder said something that would confuse them both...

"Oh, before we closed the ceremony, we got a message for students named Kosun, Blu, and Jewel... the three students I mentioned there were asked by the principal to face him now in his room."

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And done...

Thank you guys for taking your time to read this simple story... I know this is still rather boring, because we are still at the beginning of the Second Arc, which is planned to be a longer than the First Arc. I promise this story will be more interesting in the middle of this Second Arc, and at its conclusion. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this 18th chapter...

Oh and one more thing... Rebecca belongs to Fenix139

I guess that's it, I'll see you again in CoL, for I intend to continue that one...