THEY ARE WATCHING ME

Students were racing across hallways and bumping into each other as the ruckus and disturbance continued.

“They've arrived at the front gate!” Call the candidates! ” screamed one of the kids at another. The media flocked to the school gates, pleading with the professors and lecturers to release the candidates for Ithea's champion seat for an interview.

“Please take a step back, everyone. Classes are still going on, and all of this unnecessary fuss is making things more difficult than they need to be. Simply wait for the students to take a break from their classes, and you will have the opportunity to interview them!”

One of the school professors stated, waving his hands in the direction of the reporters, indicating that they should back away from the school gates. Everyone wanted to be heard, so the reporters chanted and shouted.

The lecturer quickly recognized that talking with them was a waste of time, so he walked back to school, leaving the mob of media even more enraged than when he arrived.

INSIDE THE CAMPUS

Luciana stormed into the corridors, frightening the innocent youngsters who were absorbed in their chats and stories. He pushed them away in an unfriendly manner, not wishing to engage with any of them. Some returned her nasty comments, while others turned away, knowing well well how a fight with her would end, with them in a hospital.

“Hey! That's the boys' dormitory, where do you think you're going? You are not allowed to enter!” One of the boys bravely came to a halt in front of her.

“Now get out of my way!” I need to talk to Nelanian!” She responded with a bark, startled that the lad had not backed down like his cowardly coward pals.

“We can call him if you want, but you can't go in there,” 

“Listen, I've spent the last three days coming down here. That moron has never left his room and has never attended any of this week's classes. I've got my fill of it. I've come down here several times and sent numerous people, but he has yet to appear. So I am going to personally see him out of his room,”

The two exchanged intent glances. 

“Now get out of my way, or I'll make you get out,” Lucy shouted, her eyes bright with rage. The boy looked into her eyes and realized it was not a good idea to get in the way of her. He backed aside gradually, allowing her to pass through. Lucy walked through the corridors of the boys' hostel with such loud footsteps that even the deaf could hear her.

“There's a girl in the dorm!” As he peered out of his ajar door, one of the youngsters yelled from within his cubicle. When he realized he'd been seen by those fire eyes, he slammed the door shut firmly. She had a stat card in her hand, which she had squeezed down so hard with her fingers that it was nearly broken. The boys' dormitory was quite elegant. The brass ceiling stood 20 feet above the marble floor, with an orchid-colored carpet running along the middle of the corridor. The rooms for the Candidates of Ithea were at the very end of the passageway. They were more akin to castle rooms than cubicles, with long decorative doors and king-sized beds, as well as a balcony.

The word spread quickly, and soon a mob of boys trailed Lucy from behind, expecting to witness the brawl between the two. She tried to ignore them as much as she could. She finally arrived at Nelanian's room doors and knocked twice, but received no response.

“Nelly! Get out right now! If you don’t I am breaking down this door,” she shouted. Pissed off that she got no reply, she kicked the door. The crowd behind her backed away.

“Nelly you stupid goat open this door this instant!” she roared. Still, there was no reply. She turned back to the crowd behind her.

“Who is the dormitory manager among you?” she asked fiercely, loosening her fist. One of the scared boys was pushed in front by the others.

“I am the dorm manager miss,” he said.

“Do you have the key to this room?”

“I’m afraid not miss. Nelanian likes to keep to himself and he took away all the spare keys I had,”

Lucy grumbled again. She snatched the cork out of a little stoppered vial and gulped the green misty mutagen that was stored in the glassware, removing the knapsack from her back.

“All of you take a step back,” she instructed. Her skin stiffened and her hands were as rigid as folded steel. The locks exploded as she slammed her fist into the door, allowing the door to swing off its hinges. It slid on the red carpet that ran across the room's floor. Behind her, the boys were trembling. Some ran away.

She stormed inside the room, scouring every nook and cranny for the person she was looking for. Her gaze eventually fell on a figure seated in one of the seats near the balcony. He was looking up at the sky. The angry breeze blew back the silk drapes, which periodically smacked against his face. He appeared to be unconcerned about it.

A stack of dog-eared novels covered the table in front of him, as did many unwashed plates and glasses. He didn't appear to be shaken at all by the violent entrance.

“Hey, you foolish waste of a man,” she yelled at him, and he didn't even bother to respond, much less look back at the person who was speaking to him. It made her even more enraged. She walked over to the shambles and leaped over the filthy cutlery to get to him. She slammed the stat card down on the table and leaned in closer.

“Look at this, what the hell is this? ”

When Nelanian turned to face her, she could see the red bloated bags underneath his eyes. He appeared exhausted as if he hadn't slept in a fortnight.

IN THE CASTLE

The monarch waved away the last of the mourners who had come to pay their respects to Rhaizen Gale, their slain hero. Her queen and wife stood by his side, silent and obedient. She hadn't said anything since the day began. The king pulled off his white jacket, which had a dried bloodstain on his shoulder, as the final guest left the castle gates. The buttons splattered all over the throne room.

“That dirty rat!”  He screamed, tossing his jacket to the floor, "How dare he touch me!"

“And you, you useless woman. You’re the reason he got close to me in the first place. I should have just thrown you in with the rest of those dirty maidens in the dungeon today! Take a look at what you've made me do! ” He said, directing a shot of spit at the queen. She stumbled back in an attempt to defend herself, knowing she was about to be hit.

“Get out of my way, you lowlife; go call the maidens in the rear; I'm hungry,” he said as he sank back into his throne.

The queen said, "Yes, my lord." She gently bowed and walked away. She had been so accustomed to the torture that she had completely dried out her eyes from the innumerable tears she had shed. Days passed, and she developed a thicker skin, allowing her to withstand the taunts and slaps. She knew she wasn't a queen the moment she stepped into the palace.